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Matt and Andy began to smell a mouse, as the saying is, and they lost no time in questioning not only the German, but several other people that remained around the wagon.

The young auctioneers soon learned that a rival party of auctioneers with a large two-horse wagon had stopped at the town during the entire previous week, and sold goods which were next to worthless, for the highest prices to be obtained. They had been cool and shrewd men, thoroughly dishonest, and they had swindled every one who had had dealings with them.

"And where did they go to?" asked Andy, of the German, after the matter had been talked over for some time.

"Ve ton't know. Of ve did ve vould tar an' fedder clem, py chiminy!" was the emphatic reply.

"That settles it, we won't be able to do any business here," said Matt, and though they remained in