"I've always wanted just such a tray, too. I wonder if you know anyone who has one and will sell it to me. I'd drive a long ways to go to an auction such as you say you attended, when you bought this tray," said Polly, trying to act indifferent. "Laws-ee, Miss! I see'd trays sold at mos' every country auction I goes to. I'd jes' as soon sell that one to you, if you like it, but maybe you'd think I was askin' too much if I was to tack on the cost of time I lost that day. I never got a chanst to bid on the oak side-board, 'cause a city man felt so mad at Abe fer buyin' the tray, that he run up the side-board out of spite, when he found we wanted it. Ef he'd onny a said he wanted the old tray he'd cud have had it an' welcome. But he never told us. The neighbor who finally got the side-board laffed an' told Abe why the man did the trick. The man told him he'd double-crossed us that way." Polly would have offered the woman the full value of the fine stencilled tray, but Eleanor hurriedly spoke for her. "How much was the tray with the cost of time tacked on?" "Well, it won't be fair to charge _all_ afternoon, 'cuz I had a good time with my neighbors what met at that vendue. But Abe lost three hours' work on the corn that day and that is wuth sixty cents an 'nour, anyway. Tack that on to thirty-five cents fer the tray, an' you've got it." Mrs. Tomlinson started counting laboriously on her fingers and ultimately reached the same total as the girls had found five minutes before. So Polly paid over the munificent sum to the lady's delight, and took possession of the tray. "Ef I onny had some other old things you'd like to get, I would almost have enough money to buy a swell glass lemonade set I saw down to Stamford one day. It had a glass tray under it and a dozen painted glasses and a fine glass pitcher--all fer two ninety-eight." Almost before the lady had ended her words of her secret ambition, the four girls had pounced upon various things found on the shelf. Eleanor had an old glass toddy-mug with a lid, which was used for a match-holder in the parlor. Nancy selected a small oil lamp with a brass base and stem, and a lovely-shaped glass shade. Mrs. Tomlinson informed her it was another auction bargain that cost fifty cents. Being so expensive they put it on the parlor mantel instead of using it. Dodo yearned to possess an old afghan she saw on the settee of the suite of furniture, but she feared to say so. Finally she summoned courage enough to offer the lady a price for it that caused Mrs. Tomlinson a failure about the heart. "My goodness' sakes alive! That's ten times more'n the wool ever cost when the thing was _new_. Take it! Take it, quick, ef you really mean it!" The girls laughed wildly, for Dodo took it quickly and paid the price offered to the consternation of the sales-woman. "Well," gasped she, at last, "you must have some family-past what has to do with knitted covers, is all I can say to explain you!"