"Five and a quarter."

"Five dollars and a quarter bid!" said the auctioneer. "Do I hear
more?"

"Six dollars," said Mr. Dunbar quietly.

The bid was repeated, and the auctioneer waited for a higher one,
but Nick retired ignominiously from the contest.

He wasn't sure whether he could get much over six dollars for it
himself, and he foresaw that Mr. Dunbar intended to have it, even if
it cost considerable more.

"It's kinder hard on a feller," he complained to the man standing
next him. "What does Mr. Dunbar want of the watch? He's got one
already."

"Perhaps he thinks it is a good bargain at the price."

"It's what I've been wantin' all along," said Nick. "He might have let
me have it."

"Why don't you bid more?"

"I wanted to get it cheap."

"And the auctioneer wants to get as much as he can for the articles,
and so do Philip's friends," This was a consideration which, of
course, had no weight with Nicholas. However, he had one comfort. He