"And a quarter," cried a voice. "Eight and a half!" "Eight three quarters!" "Nine guilders!" "Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen!" "Thirteen guilders," cried the auctioneer, "who bids more than thirteen?" "I wouldn't mind," cried a voice, "if I only knew how to get those confounded pots home to Santjoemeh." "Never mind that," shouted another, "I will take them for you in my cart." "Thirteen, twice!" said the auctioneer. "Fourteen, fifteen," went the bids. "Fifteen!--once!" said the auctioneer. "Twenty guilders!" shouted a voice which rang out above all the noise. "A fine bid," murmured Grenits. "Twenty guilders, once--Twenty, twice--Twenty for the third and last time!" Bang! down came the hammer. "Who is the buyer?" asked the clerk. "I am," replied an officer. He was an elderly man--a first Lieutenant of Infantry. "Who is I?" asked the auctioneer from his perch. "I, Langeveld, first Lieutenant of Infantry." "Mr. Langeveld, do you pay cash down?" asked the auctioneer. "Cash down?" asked the officer, quite surprised, "what do you mean? Your office always gives three months' credit." "Only to those whose pay is above two hundred and fifty guilders," said the man. "Two hundred and fifty guilders? Whose order is that?" "It is the order of the superintendent of sales at Santjoemeh," replied the auctioneer. "The Resident," muttered van Nerekool, "a most infamous trick!" "Do you pay ready money? No?" continued the auctioneer, "then you will have to find some security, or else the lot will have to be put up again." The officer, who was a man of unblemished name and character, turned fiery red at this wanton and unexpected insult. "Lieutenant Langeveld, I will be your security!" cried van Nerekool. The officer bowed his thanks. The second lot of flowers, however, which was much finer than the first, did not fetch a rix-dollar. The shameful dodge at headquarters evidently had its effect on the spirits of the buyers. Grenits saw the drift of all this in a moment. He held a hasty consultation with van Nerekool and a few landowners who were standing by him. Just as the third dozen of pots were being put up, a burly, broad-shouldered gentleman cried out: "A word with you, Mr. Auctioneer. A disgraceful trick is being played here--I never saw such a dirty thing done before--a trick which Mr. van Nerekool, Mr. Grenits and myself are determined to frustrate. For every gentleman who wishes to buy at this sale, and who may happen to fall under this novel condition of having to pay ready money, we will stand security." "Bravo! bravo!" was the general shout. "Does that satisfy you, Mr. Auctioneer?" The man nodded assent. He could not do otherwise. This incident served to rouse a general enthusiasm; the third lot of flowers brought eighty guilders; the last no less a sum than two hundred and fifty. True it is that before this last lot was put up Grenits had cried: