Page:Harris Dickson--Old Reliable in Africa.djvu/44

 "Perfectly correct, gentlemen, perfectly correct." Colonel Spottiswoode took a card from his hand, Buried it under his stack, and picked up the one which Shields had dealt him. Then he spread his entire hand, face upward, and nodded to Eaton: "You win, sir."

The Colonel showed three kings, a four, and a nine spot. "I drew this," he said, tossing away the four; then taking the buried card from under his stack, he matched it with the other nine; "I held a king full pat. Gentlemen, you may leave out my hand." And Colonel Spottiswoode pushed his chair from the table.

The Southerner thrust a handful of bills and gold into his trousers, then took a cigar from his pocket, lighted it and sauntered out, "Good night, gentlemen."

Joe and Cap Wright glanced at each other. Prince Jim had a peculiar way of doing business.

Colonel Spottiswoode strolled along the deck in very ill humor. "That's what I get for playing with strangers," he meditated. "Curious how luck runs. When that old ship-captain was dealing I could make any hand I drew to."

The deck-lights shone upon deserted boards and empty chairs folded back against the walls; a fog that was almost a drizzle shrouded the vessel and hid the sea. Spottiswoode stopped at the forward turn and stood gazing into leaden