"You just come with us and you will forget the auction on the spot.

Or are you afraid of the thrashing, you fine velvet pants?
Do you know what?
I could tell you something that would suit you ?" Churi had caught an idea: he had heard something of some danger that was lurking among the Mayor's grapes, and the others too knew something about it; so he reckoned that none of the others would go first and he himself would prefer to have some other fellow first find out whether a trap was laid somewhere, in which the first one would fall, while the rest would be warned.

For this post of inspection Erick fitted splendidly.
"Well, will you ?" he urged the silent Erick.
But the latter shook his head negatively.
"And if I help you so that you need not be auctioned, will you then ?" "How can you do that ?" Erick asked doubtingly.
"As soon as I want to," boasted Churi.

"Don't you know that my father is the sergeant here?
He goes into every house along the whole mountain, far beyond Lower Wood, and he knows all the people and can place you where he likes.

You only need to say what you want to do: take care of the cows, deliver letters, push little children along in their carriages--whatever you like best." Erick had never heard lying, he did not know what it was.