And now let us get back to Dick & Co., that we may see just what befell them.

“Pshaw!  There comes Fred Ripley,” exclaimed Harry Hazelton.

“And he probably has a few ten dollar bills in his pockets,” remarked Greg Holmes, rather enviously.  “He will buy something.”

Fred Ripley, as readers of “The High School Freshmen” remember, was the son of a wealthy local lawyer, and a bitter enemy to Dick Prescott and his friends.

“Fred just came here to buy something and then look at us with his superior smile,” grunted Hazelton.  “What do you say if we all walk away before the bidding begins?”

“Then Rip would grin,” returned Tom Reade.  “He’d know just why we went away.  I came here to see what’s going to happen, and I won’t be chased away from here by Fred Ripley.”

“Let’s see if Fred can have any real fun with us,” proposed Dick, with a quiet smile.

“He can have fun enough with us, if he guesses why we are really here,” Dave Darrin uttered resentfully.  “Ripley seems to think that money is made and supplied to him just in order that he may rub gall and wormwood into those whom he doesn’t like!”

Fred kept well away from Dick & Co., though the six boys saw that he occasionally sent a covert look in their direction.

“Time to begin,” said the deputy sheriff, after glancing at his watch.

Up to the platform jumped the auctioneer, bell in hand.  Holding it with both hands he again rang vigorously for a full minute.  The net result was to bring one shabby-looking man, two grammar school boys without a cent of money, and three children of not over four years of age into the lot.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” began the auctioneer, in his glib tones, “we are presenting to-day a most unusual opportunity.  Prizes will be distributed to many enterprising people of Gridley, though these prizes are all so valuable that I trust none of them will go for the traditional ‘song.’  It is seldom, indeed, in any community, however favored it may be in general, that such a diversified lot of excellent things is put under the hammer for purchase by discriminating buyers!  As you all know, Colonel W.P.  Grundy’s Great & Colossal Indian Exposition & Aboriginal Life Delineations has met with one of the too-common disasters of the road.  This great show enterprise must now be sold out in its entirety.”

After an impressive pause, the silence was broken by a sob.  Those in the crowd who were curious enough to turn, beheld the colonel with a handkerchief to his eyes, his shoulders heaving.  Somehow the colonel’s noisy grief failed to excite the sympathy of those assembled.  It was suspected that the wrecked showman was playing for sympathy.

“Such a wealth of treasures is here offered,” continued the auctioneer, “that for the first time in my career I confess myself unable to decide which article or lot to lay before you first.”