Who says twenty-five ?" "Twenty-three," offered Fred.
"Twenty-five," called Prescott promptly.
An instant after Dick had made this bid he felt heartily ashamed of himself.

He hadn't intended to buy the pony, and didn't have the money.

He had obeyed a sudden instinct to tease Fred Ripley, but now Dick wished he hadn't done it.
"Twenty-six!" called young Ripley.
The auctioneer looked at Prescott, but the latter, already abashed at his own conduct, made no further offer.
"Twenty-eight!" called a man in the crowd, who knew that the wealthy lawyer's son usually got whatever he wanted very badly.

This new bidder thought he saw a chance to get the pony, then later to force Fred to pay a still higher price for the animal.
"Thirty!" called Ripley, with a sidelong glance at Dick & Co.
"Did I hear you offer thirty-five ?" queried the auctioneer, singling out Dick Prescott.
But Dick remained mute.

However, in the next instant Greg Holmes, ere Prescott could stop him, blurted out with: "Thirty-two!" "Thirty-four!" called Ripley briskly.
Greg opened his mouth, but Dick nudged him.