Trulock。 Mrs。 McClure was scouring the crowd with her eyes; looking very unfortable; too。
“What happened?” I whispered to Darla。
“No ones bidding;” she whispered back。
“Do I hear ten?” called Mrs。 McClure。 “e on; out there! This lunch is delicious。
Strawberry tarts; roast beef and Muenster cheese sandwiches
…” “Oh; no!” I whispered to Darla。 “I cant believe I did this to him!”
“You? What did you do?”
“I voted for him!”
“Well; you couldnt have been the only one…。”
“But why isnt anyone bidding on him? Hes … hes so nice。”
Darla nodded。 “Exactly。”
Thats when I realized what I had to do。 My hand shot into the air and I called; “Ten!”
“Ten?” warbled Mrs。 McClure。 “Did I hear ten?”
I put my hand up higher and said to Darla; “Say twelve。”
“What?”
“Say twelve; Ill outbid you。”
“No way!”
“Darla! He cant go for ten; cmon!”
“Twelve!” Darla called; but her hand didnt go up very high。
“Fifteen!” I cried。
“Sixteen!” called Darla; and eyed me with a laugh。
I whispered; “Darla! Ive only got fifteen。”
Her eyes got enormous。
I laughed and called; “Eighteen!” then held her arm down and said; “But that really is all Ive
got。”
There was a moment of silence and then; “Eighteen going once! Eighteen going twice …
Sold! for eighteen dollars。”
Darla laughed and said; “Whoa; girl! What a rush!”
I nodded。 “Yes; it was!”
“Well; no dessert for you。 Looks like you got cleaned out by something a little more …uh…
nutritious。” She nodded toward the stage。 “You gonna
go up to the table like youre supposed to