I'd take good care not to lose this chance." No answer.
"Then I must knock it down.

Going, going, gone, sir; it's yours, and dirt cheap, too." All this was encouraging for me.

If a seven-guinea watch goes for four pounds, for how much will a three-guinea one go?
This was a problem which I feebly endeavoured to solve as I lay waiting my turn.
It came at last.

I felt myself lifted on high, and heard my merits pronounced in the words of the catalogue.
"Lot 68.

London made, lever, open-face watch, capped and jewelled, in very fine order." "Look for yourselves, gentlemen." The gentlemen did look for themselves, and complimented me by a preliminary bid of 15 shillings.
The auctioneer laughed a pleasant laugh, as much as to say, "That is a capital joke," and waited for the next bid.
It was not long in coming, and I advanced rapidly by half-crowns to thirty shillings.