She hurriedly directed it, and put it in her pocket to mail on the way to the auction, just as her brother called out that he "did think girls were the very slowest." They had got nearly to the end of the wharf at which the schooner lay, when Ruth asked Mark if he had any money.
"No," said he, "not a cent.

I forgot all about it.

Just wait here a minute while I run back and get some from mother." "Well," said Ruth, "if boys ain't the very carelessest!" But Mark was out of hearing before she finished.
While she waited for him, Ruth looked in at the open door of a very little house, where several colored women were making beautiful flowers out of tiny shells and glistening fish-scales.

She became so much interested in their work that she was almost sorry when Mark came running back, quite out of breath, and gasped, "I've got it! Now let's hurry up!" Turning to the left from the head of the wharf, they walked quickly through the narrow streets until they came to a square, on one corner of which quite a crowd of people were collected.

They were all listening attentively to a little man with a big voice, who stood on a box in front of them and who was saying as fast as he could, "Forty, forty, forty.