He said this smilingly, as if he really wished to lose.
As the cards were being dealt, Bart, who sat by his roommate's side, leaned toward Frank, and softly asked:
"What made you come, old man?"
"Couldn't keep away," was the reply.
"Well, be careful—keep watch of yourself."
"Not to-night, Bart. I am going to let loose on this occasion."
Frank played recklessly from the start, and fortune fluctuated with him, for he would forge ahead and then drop behind, but he was never much ahead, nor far behind. For all of his careless playing, he seemed to hang about even.
Leslie Gage was too shrewd to try to get at Frank on this occasion, for he wanted Merriwell to win again, so they would get a still firmer hold upon him.
Wat Snell lost steadily, soon beginning to growl, and keeping it up. Once, under cover of conversation the others were making, he leaned toward Gage and muttered:
"Merriwell is my hoodoo. I can't do a thing with him in the game."