 
 <prompt> **CHAPTER V. THE FIRST SPARK PASSES**

"Now, gentlemen," shouted the auctioneer when he don finish him talk about the girl fine qualities, "wetin I fit bid? Eight hundred?"

Stephen hold him breath. E be like say time dey go as nobody wan start the bidding.

"Come, gentlemen, come! There's my friend Alf Jenkins. E sabi how much she worth to the last kobo. Wetin you go give, Alf? Na eight hundred?"

Mr. Jenkins wink for the auctioneer and join for the laugh.

"Three hundred!" e talk.

The auctioneer vex well well. Then person shout: "Three hundred and fifty!"

Na young Colfax talk am. Dem recognize am immediately, by name, like say e dey important.

"Thank you, Mistah Colfax, suh," the auctioneer talk, with respect as e point hand for him direction, while the crowd dey turn their necks to see am. E stand straight, very proud, like say e no dey see say people dey look am.

"Three seventy-five!"

"That one better, Mistah Jenkins," the auctioneer talk sarcastically. E face the girl, wey fit be like say na sculpture of sorrow. Her hands dey folded for front of her, her head dey bow down. The auctioneer put hand under her chin and raise am roughly. "Cheer up, my gal," e talk, "you no get anything to cry about now."

Hester chest dey rise and fall, and from her black eyes, she give the auctioneer one strong look of defiance. E laugh. Na the white blood.

The white blood!

Clarence Colfax bid no fit come out from him mouth. Above the people head, e see quick quick one young man with strong face, wey voice dey clear and strong, "Four hundred!"

1. Who be the second person wey bid?
2. Wetin e offer?
3. E make Jenkins serious?
4. Wetin be him new bid?
5. Wetin be him first bid?
6. E act foolish with the first bid?
7. Wetin the auctioneer suggest for the first bid?
8. E get fourth bid?
9. From who?
10. Who dey prepare to bid when this new man bid?
11. Wetin dem dey sell?
12. Wetin be her name?
13. She dey fear?
14. How she dey feel?
15. Wetin the auctioneer see am as?
16. How she show am to am?
17. Wetin kind look she give am?
18. Wey place she dey look before that?
19. Wey place her hands dey?
20. The auctioneer like the first bid? <response>: ```1. Colfax
2. Three hundred and fifty
3. Yes
4. Three seventy-five
5. Three hundred
6. Yes
7. Eight hundred
8. Yes
9. one young man wey get strong face
10. Clarence Colfax
11. one girl
12. Hester
13. No
14. stubborn
15. the white blood.
16. from her black eyes
17. one fine look of stubbornness
18. down
19. folded for front of her
20. No``` 