ty-five cents for the knife.

"Seventy-five cents I am offered!" cried Matt. "Who makes it a
dollar--ninety--eight-five--eighty?" and he glanced inquiringly at the
old countryman.

But the old man shook his head.

"Not a penny over seventy-five cents," he muttered in a low tone.

"Seventy-five!" went on Matt. "Come, now, raise it just a bit! The
knife is really worth it. Who says eighty? Seventy-five-five-five!
Last call, remember! Going, going--gone! to that young man for
seventy-five cents!"

And Matt held out the knife to the last bidder, and motioned to Andy
to collect the money.

The young man grew red and drew back.

"Oh, pshaw! I didn't want the knife!" he grumbled. "Put it up again,
maybe you'll get a bigger price for it," and he began to edge his way
toward the door.

"Hold on! Not so fast!" said Andy, in a low voice, as he caught him by
the arm. "This company doesn't do business that way. If you did not
wish the knife you should not have bid for it. We are not running this
store for fun."

The young man looked at him impudently. But the clear, stern eyes of
Matt's partner made him wilt, and muttering something under his breath
about getting square, he paid over the amount, took the knife, and
sneaked out of the now crowded store.

In the meantime, the old countryman was about to leave, disappointed
over his failure to secure the prize he coveted. He wished just such
a knife, and knew that he would have to pay a dollar or more at the
hardware store for it.

"Wait a minute, please," said Matt to him. "I have another such a
knife. If you wish it you can have it at the same figure that the
young man paid."

"Let's look at the knife."

The countryman made a careful examination of the blade, and finally
agreed to take it.

"I'll send my son Tom around for an accordion," he said, before
leaving. "He's dead stuck on music, Tom is."

"Thank you, we shall be pleased to see him," returned Matt politely,
and the old countryman went off much pleased over the way he had been
treated.

At a word from Andy, Matt brought the entire board of knives out so
that all might examine them.

"Seventy-five cents was the auction price," he explained. "So any one
can step up and take his or her choice for that amount. They are well
worth your inspection. Any of the knives will stick, but you can't get
stuck on a single one of them."

This little joke made the crowd laugh, and a dozen or more pressed
forward to