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Rh forward rudely, causing some timid customers to leave in a hurry, and then began to laugh and joke among themselves in a loud and coarse manner.

"I am afraid we are going to have trouble with those chaps," whispered Matt to his partner. "They have been drinking, and they are out for a lark."

"That's my idea, too," returned Andy. "We must watch them closely."

For a few minutes the young auctioneers paid no attention to the four negroes, excepting to see that they did not take up something without laying it down again. The fellows moved around through the crowd, and at length two of them leaned up heavily against one of the show-cases which belonged to the store fixtures.

The combined weight of the two men was too much for the top glass of the case, and with a sharp crack it broke into half a dozen pieces.

"Hullo! dat glass dun gone and got broke!" cried one of the negroes. "I wonder how dat happened?"

"You broke that glass!" exclaimed Matt sharply. "You and your companion."

"Me?" returned the offender in pretended surprise.

"Yes, you—and your friend."