MY VISIT TO OLD BILL.
A short time after the occurrence narrated in the preceding story,
Canada Bill said to me, "George, don't you think we could make big
money on the wharf-boat at the mouth of the Red River, out of those
Texas boys that get off there to take the Red River boats?"
I replied, "Yes, there is plenty of money there, Bill. When do you want to go up?"
I thought he wanted to stop off for a few days, as we had often done before; but he said, "George, I am in poor health, and I want to quit the river and settle down, and I want you to be with me."
I did not blame the old fellow, for many a time we would have some pretty hard knocks and duckings in our business on the rivers and railroads; but I was well and hearty—and then I was of a roving disposition, and enjoyed the life I was leading—so I said: "Bill, you go up there and take a rest just as long as you like; but for me, I could not think of settling down on a wharf-boat, with nothing but cow-boys to break the monotony. I'll stick to the old thing as long as they will let me, or until I get married."
I did not think just then there was any possibility of my doing the latter thing; but men don't always know just what they will do, for I am married now, and have a dear old mother-in-law, too.
"Well, George, I don't like to leave you, but I will try her just once, anyhow."
We separated. Bill went to the wharf-boat, and I began looking for another partner. A few months after dissolving partnership with my old friend Bill, I met a man from Red River who told me that Bill was making big money up there. He said, "Why, that crazy looking old fellow is running a corner grocery, livery stable, and winning all the money and horses about the landing." I was not sorry he was doing well—in fact, I was glad of it; and I resolved that I would stop off on my next trip and see him. So in a few days I was on my way up to the mouth of the Red River. When the boat landed I started off, and there stood the old fellow, just as natural as life. I would have known him among ten thousand. He caught sight of me, and then he began to stretch those long thin legs of his, and in an instant he had me by the hand, saying, "Why, George! I'll be gol darned if I haint down-right glad to see you, old boy. Come right up and let's take something."
We had a few drinks, talked over old times, and to tell the truth, I was just as glad to see the old boy as he appeared to be to see me. After we had drank enough to make us feel pretty good, Bill said, "George, I've got some of the best critters in my barn that there is in this part of the country, and I won most of 'em playing the baby ticket."
As we had been together for about an hour and had got no further than the bar, I proposed that we go to his stables and see the horses, for I was always fond of good stock. As we went into the stable, we saw a fellow sitting on a box just inside of the open doors. He looked like a bull-driver, with his large whip, slouch hat, pants in boots all covered with mud, and an old pipe in his mouth. I did not take much notice of him, as I supposed he belonged around there; and then I had come to look at Bill's fine horses.
While we were looking at the stock, some one called Bill, and he excused himself for a few moments. In a short time Bill came back, and I began asking him some questions about a horse I had been looking at; but Bill did not appear to hear me, but said, "George, did you notice that bull-driver sitting by the door as we came in the stable?"
"Yes, I saw a fellow sitting there, but I supposed he belonged around here, and I did not pay any attention to him."
"Why George! What do you think? That fellow is out there on the box counting his money, and I'll be gol darned if he hasn't got nigh on to $10,000, for I saw him counting over the big bills until I couldn't stand it any longer, and I just came back here to get you, for I know, George, that you can get it if any man can."
I replied, "Bill, I didn't think that old tramp had any money; but if you saw it, all right. We will give him a whirl. How will be play him?"
Bill then said, "Well, George, you go and get in with him, and when you are all ready just give me the old sign, and I will come up and try the old monte on him."
"All right," said I. So I found the fellow, and began my part of the business. I inquired where he came from and all that, told him I was a planter waiting for a boat, and invited him to take a drink. While we were drinking, old Bill came up, rigged out just as I had seen him so many times before; so if the fellow had noticed him and I together when we went in the stable, he would not suspicion that Bill was the same person.
We were just taking another drink when the old crazy looking fool came up, so I said to the bull-driver, "What do you think of that fellow coming up there? Let's have some fun with him."
"All right," said he.
So I said, "Come up and join us in a drink; we are just taking one."
Bill walked up and began his talk about where he had been, where he was going, and how he had lost his money. He got out his tickets and showed us how the game was played. We bet the drinks and cigars. I lost $100, then I put a spot on the baby and won $500. The bull-driver began to get nervous, and finally offered to bet $500 he could turn over the baby.
Bill thought his time had come, so he said, "I'll just go you $5,000 that you can't turn the baby."
The driver got out his big roll and counted out $5,000. Bill counted out $4,200, but I called it $5,000.
Mr. "Bull-driver" then said to me, "If I win that money, I'm going to have it; if I lose it, all right; but I won't stand any foolishness."
Old Bill gave one of those peculiar chuckles, saying, "All right; if you win her, you shall have it." He then mixed them up as well as I ever saw him do it in my life, and when he was ready the driver made a grab and we both thought he was going for the one with the spot on it; but I be darned if he didn't grab up the one with the baby on it, just as he said he would. Then he turned to me and said, "Hand over that money, for I won it."
Bill said, "Hold on, that's one rub on me. Try it again."
Mr. Bull just yanked out a gun as long as your arm, and drew her down on me, saying, "See here; I want that money d——d quick, for I won it fair." He then turned the big gun on Bill, and said, "Tell him to hand it over, or I be d——d if I don't blow h—l out of you d——d quick."
Poor old Bill was shaking all over, but he managed to say, "Give her up, George." He forgot himself when he called my name; but the old fellow was excited, and did not know that he was giving us both away.
I handed the fellow the money, and he walked away, saying, "I don't want any more to do with you d——d fellows, for you are in with each other."
Bill and I stood looking after the fellow until he got on the wharf- boat, then he turned to me and said, "George, I've been thinking, and I be darned if I can make out how it was he turned the baby. And, George, another thing I can't understand. I've seen more than ten guns cocked up against your head, and that's the first time I ever saw you weaken."
"Well, Bill, I tell you there was blood in that fellow's eyes, and I could see he meant business; besides, Bill, he won the money fair, and you know a fellow will fight like thunder for his own."
"All right, George; but I've always said no man living could make you give up. But I guess you was right this time, for I be darned if I didn't think he was going to let her go at me before you could hand over."
We took a drink, and then Bill went to his room to take off his make-up. While he was thus engaged, I walked down on the wharf- boat, and there was the bull-driver, waiting for a boat that was just coming in to the landing. I waited for Bill to come down; but I guess he was feeling bad; so I went up to the stable, and there he sat, on the same box where he saw the bull-driver counting his money. I went up to him and said, "Bill, I won $500 and lost $100 while we were playing that fellow, so I owe you $400."
He said, "That's right, George."
Then I said, "Bill, you only put up $4,200 against his $5,000, but
I called it $5,000."
"That's right, George."
"Well, Bill, do you remember the fellow that put up $3,800 against the $3,500, and you thought I didn't know it?"
He looked all around the stable as if he was looking for the bull- driver, but he didn't say a word.
I counted out $4,200 and handed it to him, saying, "Bill, here is all your money but $300. I wanted to come up and see you; but you know I like to have some fun at the expense of my friends, and it cost me just about $300 to rig out the 'bull-driver' to play you for a sucker."
Bill looked at me for a moment, and then said, "George, I am a sucker, for I might have known you was up to some of your old tricks."