The summer sun shone fiercely down upon the assemblage.
"Perhaps, first of all," announced the auctioneer, after pausing to take breath, "it will be the proper thing to do to offer the tent itself.

At this point, however, I will say that the foreclosing creditor of the show himself bids two hundred dollars on the tent.
No bid, unless it be more than two hundred dollars, can be accepted.
Come, now, friends, here is a fine opportunity for a shrewd business man.

One need not be a showman, or have any personal need of a tent, in order to become a bidder.

Whoever buys this tent to-day will be able to realize handsomely on his investment by selling this big-top tent in turn to some showman in need of a tent.
Who will start the bidding at three hundred dollars ?" No one started it.

After the auctioneer had talked for five minutes without getting a "rise" out of any Gridley citizen, he mournfully declared the tent to be outside of the sale.
"Has anyone here any choice as to what he wants me to offer next ?" questioned the salesman of the afternoon.
There was no response.
"Come, come, gentlemen!" rebuked the auctioneer.