Flushed with shame, and still mumbling and protesting, he stepped back from the queue and the proceedings were resumed.
When they were finished, Gran'pa looked into the hat, uttered an exclamation of astonishment, and said:—
"Owing to the little lapse from propriety which you witnessed a moment ago, there is a bean left over, gentlemen. Those of you who have drawn the red will be agreeably surprised to hear that the remaining one is white! I therefore suggest that the losers all place their red beans in the hat and try their luck again."
Everyone cheered (with the exception of the unfortunate individual who was the cause of this fresh lease of hope) and the supplementary draw opened amidst great enthusiasm and excitement.
When it was presently discovered that the first fifty-six (out of the fifty-eight losers) had all drawn reds, the tension became so great that the remaining two old men were compelled to sit down for a few moments. They were so exhausted with emotion that Dr. Martin was afraid they might collapse.
"Come along!" he said. "You must get this over at once!"
"Toss for it!" cried Gran'pa. "That is the fairest!"
So they tossed—and the man who called "Tails!" won.
"I . . . I always . . . say 'Heads!'" he half sobbed. "But this time . . ."
Then he fainted!