y dollar of available cash. He had had all of the
goods shipped to Phillipsburg, the next stopping place, and said they
would most likely find them at the freight depot upon their arrival
there.

During the afternoon it cleared up, and people began to drift into the
shop. Andy opened up the sale, and by evening both of the partners
were quite busy. When he went to supper Matt saw Isaac Marvelling, but
the store-keeper only favored him with a deep scowl.

"I suppose he would like to chew my head off if he dared," laughed the
young auctioneer, as he related the occurrence to Andy.

"No doubt of it, Matt. He feels sore, especially as we are selling
just such goods as he has displayed in his window, and at about half
the price."

"Well, we won't worry him after to-night," smiled Matt, for the start
for Phillipsburg was to be made on the following morning.

After closing up the sale that night, the wagon was once more packed,
so that they might be on the way at an early hour. The stock on hand
was growing lighter, and they were glad to know that more goods would
await them upon their arrival.

"We are doing famously," remarked Andy. "If we keep on we shall soon
be rich."

"I want to pay back Miss Bartlett what she loaned me as soon as I
can."

"I reckon she is in no hurry. You had better keep some cash on hand in
case of an emergency."

The work of selling goods and packing the wagon had tired Matt
considerably, but his mind was too much aroused to go to sleep at
once, and so he started out for a short walk before retiring.

He knew very little of the roads around the village, but he was
confident that he would not get lost, especially as it was a bright
starlight night.

He passed the shop where the sales had been conducted, and then
branched off on a road that but a short distance away crossed a tiny
brook.

At the brook he paused, and then, struck with a sudden fancy, he left
the bridge to go down and bathe his hands and face in the cool,
running water.

He had hardly leaped from the bridge to the rocks below when a sudden
noise beside him caused him to start back. Almost at the same time a
dark form passed under the bridge and was lost to view in the bushes
beyond. It looked somewhat like the form of a man, but Matt was not
sure.

"That was queer," thought the young auctioneer, as he paused, in
perplexity. "Was that a man, or only some animal?"

Disturbed at the occurrence, Matt leaped up upon the b