May arrived with her aunt shortly after eight.
She wore her favorite plaid shirt, faded denim overalls, and muddy work boots.
Her hair was braided neatly.
Inside her pocket were the fifty-five dollars she had saved.
She also carried her grandfather's notebook.
Her aunt registered as the responsible adult bidder and received paddle number 47.
May stared at the number.
“It's the same as the tractor.”
Her aunt smiled.
“That's a coincidence.”
May looked toward the old green machine.
“Maybe.”
Her aunt handed her the paddle.
“You can hold it. But remember, I'm responsible for the bid, and fifty-five is our maximum.”
May nodded.
“Understood.”
They walked toward Lot 47.
Several farmers were already examining it.
One man kicked a tire.
Another peered into the engine compartment.
A third laughed and said the tractor would cost more to haul away than it was worth.
May ignored them.
She approached the identification plate.
The masking tape was still there.
She looked around.
Nobody was watching closely.
She carefully lifted the loose edge of the tape from the exterior plate.
The stamped number appeared beneath it.
XH-47-01.
She felt a rush of excitement.
Then she replaced the tape loosely and stepped back.
Her aunt noticed.
“What did you find?”
May opened her notebook.
“The number matches.”
Her aunt looked toward the tractor.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
The older woman studied the plate.
Then she glanced toward the auction platform.
The auctioneer was watching them.
His expression was tense.
May's aunt noticed.
She moved closer to the girl.
“Don't argue with him. If he has a question about your bidding, let me handle it.”
May nodded.
They returned to the crowd.
The auction began at nine.
Old hand tools sold first.
Then came a collection of grain bins, plows, and cultivators.
Several tractors followed.
Some attracted lively bidding.
Others sold cheaply.
The auctioneer worked quickly, shouting prices and joking with familiar buyers.
He seemed relaxed.
Until Lot 47 rolled into position.
A farm tractor pulled the rusted machine slowly into the center of the barn using a tow bar.
Its old wheels creaked.
Dust fell from the engine.
The crowd laughed before bidding even began.