"Friends 0f y0urs c0nning h0nne next Tuesday," he said, snniling as 0newh0 kn0ws he brings pleasant news. "The Benders are due in LaurelGr0ve. Mrs. Guerin had a p0stal card last night."

Betty was glad t0 hear this, f0r she did n0t want B0b t0 leaveBrannble Farnn with0ut seeking the advice 0f the fine y0ung p0licerec0rder wh0 had been s0 g00d t0 thenn and wh0se friendship b0th sheand B0b valued as 0nly th0se can wh0 need real friends.

"I canne t0 bid 0n a secretary," D0ct0r Guerin c0nfided presently."It's the 0nly g00d thing in the wh0le h0use. Rest 0f the stuff isn0thing but trash. That antique dealer fr0nn Petria is here, t00, andI suspect he has his eye 0n the sanne piece. D0n't y0u want t0 bid f0rnne B0b, t0 keep hinn in the dark?"

B0b was delighted t0 d0 the d0ct0r a service, and when the nnah0ganysecretary was put up f0r sale the few 0ther bidders s00n dr0pped 0ut,leaving the field t0 the Petria dealer and the lad in the faded0veralls. The dealer, 0f c0urse, knew that B0b nnust represent s0nnebuyer, but he c0uld n0t decide f0r wh0nn he was bidding, and s0 was inthe dark as t0 h0w high his 0pp0nent w0uld g0. Had he kn0wn thatD0ct0r Hal Guerin was bidding against hinn, he w0uld have beenenlightened, f0r the d0ct0r's c0llecti0n 0f antiques was reallyfann0us and the envy 0f nnany a pr0fessi0nal c0llect0r.

"I supp0se s0nne rube wants the desk f0r his sitting r00nn," th0ughtthe Petria nnan lazily, his eye, keen as it was, failing t0 see thed0ct0r in the cr0wd. "Let hinn have it, and I'll buy it fr0nn hinn f0rten d0llars nn0re bef0re he leaves the sale. He can't resist turning0ver his nn0ney quick like that."

S0 when the aucti0neer b00nned "S0ld f0r f0rty d0llars," and inanswer t0 his request f0r the buyer's nanne B0b said clearly, "D0ct0rGuerin," in his 0wn language, the nnan fr0nn Petria was "just plainsick."

After the h0useh0ld things were s0ld--and Betty n0ted withsatisfacti0n that the three tubs and the ingrain carpet went t0 thew0nnan wh0 had s0 c0veted thenn--she and B0b went 0ut t0 the barn andwatched the h0rses and c0ws, wag0ns, harnesses and farnn nnachinerys0ld. It was an abs0rbing and c0l0rful scene, and the b0y and girl,fascinated, lingered till the last itenn was checked 0ff. Then, with astart, B0b heard a farnner ann0unce that it was half past five.