‘Why, then,’ quoth John Clink, ‘that fellow, Bell, must own about half the property in the ship, if your tales be all true. This must be looked into.’
‘With whose dice do you play?’ says I: and they all answered, that generally it was with Bell’s for that several men who had brought dice on board had lost them, they knew not how, but Bell had several sets. This information increased our suspicions very much, and desiring all hands to keep the matter to themselves, and by no means to give a hint to Bell that he was suspected, I informed Captain Jem of the whole affair.
‘The snivelling, cur-hearted miscreant!’ quoth honest Captain Jem, his plump red cheeks glowing with indignation. ‘I never saw anything good in that fellow since he came on board. He is a pitiful skulk, and never stirs out of his hammock except when he is driven. It was he who counselled us to strike to the Spanish frigate, but if we find him out in his roguish tricks his back shall so smart for it, as shall cause him to think that his spine be stuffed full of pepper instead of marrow.’
So it was determined that Bell should be closely watched, and the dice which he was so fond of using, examined at the first convenient opportunity. Nor had we long to wait for its occurrence. In a little more than an hour, the suspected culprit came on deck, not thinking any harm, and going to the cook-house returned with a portion of boucanned pork, off which he made a very good dinner, with the help of a clasp-knife, and then having washed down the meat with several hearty draughts of brandy, he accosted my old friend Le Picard, and asked him whether he would shake a wrist with him. Now Picard had been also below and asleep, when the investigation into Mr. Bell’s character had been going on, and the men having kept their own counsel, Le Picard had no idea of what was in the wind. So presently, they sat down and began to play upon the combings, or ledge of the hatchway, Bell having produced the dice and dice-boxes. I watched the suspected sharper very closely when the game was going on, and noted his general sly down-cast look, and the small way which he opened his eye-lids, always peering about him with suspicious blinking eyes. Then, again, I observed his hand, which, although dirty and tarry enough, was not the hand of a man who had been all his life accustomed to handle ropes and marlin-spikes. Meanwhile, quite a circle of spectators gathered round the players, a circumstance not usual, as the stakes were trifling, but which Le Picard took no notice of. Bell, on the other hand, looked often about him, and seemed puzzled at the interest which so many of the crew took in the matter. However, he said nothing, but played on, so far as I could see very fairly, and the luck went from one to the other, as is usual in the game. At last, Le Picard grew impatient.
‘Come,’ quoth he ‘Allons, mon camerade, jouons plus fortément. Let us play for a better stake.’
‘I am agreeable,’ replied the other, softly.
‘C’est bien, alors. Let it be a double doubloon; I have not many left.’
The Frenchman pulled out the piece of gold, and placed it on the ledge of the hatchway. Bell, after some searching, real or pretended, plucked another piece from his pocket, holding, as I observed, the dice all the while in his hand.
Captain Jem, who stood by me, did not fail to observe this as well as I, and whispered to me that the fellow by this manœuvre might well have changed the ivory. I nodded.
‘A thunderstorm, or a single flash?’ says Bell, meaning, shall we decide the game by one cast, or in a great many.