he deed was being read.

"Sixteen," said another: and presently another said, "Seventeen!"

I noticed that Addison was edging up nearer the steps, but I was amazed
to hear him call out, "Seventeen fifty!"

"Ad!" I whispered. "What if Cole knocks it off to you? You have only
$100 in the savings bank. You couldn't pay for it."

I thought he had made a bid just for fun, or to show off. Addison paid
no attention to me, but watched the auctioneer closely. The others, too,
seemed surprised at Addison's bid. Lurvey turned and looked at him
sharply. I suppose he thought that Addison was bidding for the old
Squire; but I knew that the old Squire had no thought of buying the
farm.

After a few moments Lurvey called, "Eighteen hundred!"

"Eighteen fifty," said Addison; and now I grew uneasy for him in good
earnest.

"You had better stop that," I whispered. "They'll get it off on to you
if you don't take care." And I pulled his sleeve impatiently.

Willis was grinning broadly; he also thought that Addison was bluffing
the other bidders.

Haines then said, "Nineteen hundred"; and Lurvey at once cried,
"Nineteen twenty-five!"

It was now apparent that Lurvey meant to get the farm if he could, and
that Haines also wanted it. The auctioneer glanced toward us. Much to my
relief, Addison now backed off a little, as if he had made his best bid
and was going away; but to my consternation he turned when near the gate
and cried, "Nineteen fifty!"

"Are you crazy?" I whispered, and tried to get him to leave. He backed
up against the gatepost, however, and stood there, watching the
auctioneer. Lurvey looked suspicious and disgruntled, but after a pause,
said in a low voice, "Nineteen seventy-five." Haines then raised the bid
to $2,000, and the auctioneer repeated that offer several times. We
thought Haines would get it; but Lurvey finally cried, "Two thousand
twenty-five!" and the auctioneer began calling, "Going--going--going for
two thousand twenty-five!" when Addison shouted, "Two thousand fifty!"

Lurvey cast an angry look at him. Haines turned away; and Cole, after
waiting for further bids, cried, "Going--going--gone at two thousand
fifty to that young man by the gate--if he has got the money to pay for
it!"

"You've done it now, Ad!" I exclaimed, in distress. "How are you going
to get out of this?"

I was frightened for him; I did not know what the consequences of his
prank would be. To my surprise and relief, Addison w