"
"It will be sold when you get back," said Sam.
"Haven't you got any money you can lend me?" inquired the squint-
eyed one, scowling in Tom's direction.
"No, not a bit. There, some one raised Tom's bid."
At that moment a man in the crowd offered a hundred and eighty-one
dollars.
"Small amounts thankfully received," said Mr. Wood with a laugh.
Then the bidding became lively, a number making one-dollar
advances.
The price got up to one hundred and ninety-five dollars and there
it hung for several minutes, despite the eloquence of Mr. Wood,
who tried by all his persuasive powers to get a substantial
advance. But every one seemed afraid to bid. As for the young
inventor, he was in a quandary. He could only offer five dollars
more, and, if he bid it in a lump, some one might go to two
hundred and five, and he would not get the boat. He wished he had
secured permission from his father to go higher, yet he knew that
as a fair proposition two hundred dollars was about all the motor-
boat in its present condition was worth, at least to him. Then he
made a sudden resolve. He thought he might as well have the
suspense over.
"Two hundred dollars!" he called boldly.
"I'm offered two hundred!" repeated Mr. Wood. "That is something
like it.
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