noon
Let us start up before they get ready . '' They began to play on several instruments , and as soon as half a dozen people were collected Andy began to talk and tell jokes . Before the rival auctioneers had their stock inside of their store Matt and Andy were doing a pretty fair business . Seeing this , Gissem & Fillow hurried up their preparations , and by noon both places were `` going it for all they were worth , '' as Matt expressed it . Gissem seemed to be the principal member of the firm , Fillow and the boy being merely helpers . He was a tall , thin-faced and clean-shaven man , with hard , steely-blue eyes . `` This way for bargains ! ''