The parties who held the auction were poor folk who probably had no
tempting wares to offer the bargain seekers, for the bidding had
been slow, and the sales poor. They had a right to expect better
results, with Jöns of Kisterud as auctioneer. Jöns was such a
capital funmaker that people used to attend all auctions at which
he officiated just for the pleasure of listening to him. Although
he got off all his usual quips and jokes, he could not seem to
infuse any life into the bidders on this occasion. At last, not
knowing what else he could do, he put down his hammer saying he was
too hoarse to do any more crying.

"The senator will have to get some one else to offer the wares," he
told Carl Carlson of Stovik, who stood sponsor for the auction.
"I've shouted myself hoarse at these stone images standing around
me, and will have to go home and keep my mouth shut for a few
weeks, till I can get back my voice."

It was a serious matter for the senator to be left without a crier,
when most of the lots were still unsold; so he tried to persuade
Jöns to continue. But it was plain that Jöns could not afford to
hurt his professional standing by holding a poor auction, and
therefore he became so hoarse all at once that he could not even
speak in a whisper. He only wheezed.

"Perhaps there is some one here who will cry out the wares for a
moment, while Jöns is resting?" said the senator, looking out over
the crowd without much hope of finding a helper.

Then Lars Gunnarson pushed his way forward and said he was willing
to try. Carl Carslon only laughed at Lars, who at that time looked