CHAPTER XXI
THE MESSAGE
Dailey, seated at a table, the everlasting pack of cards in front of him, beamed upon Fanning and Johnny as they entered. "Thought mebby nobody was goin' to show up tonight," he said. "Dave's scared of me."
"I never did care much for wild animals," retorted Dave. "An' I says that you shore go wild when you sees a deck of cards. If you'd only win somethin' once in a while, I wouldn't have a word to say."
"That's what makes him wild," chuckled Fanning. "Ben, how much has Nelson taken away from you?"
"Not very much, an' I more than got it back from th' others," retorted Dailey. "If I only had his luck with my skill—but what's th' use?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders.
"You shore has got to have plenty of luck with yore skill," jibed Dave, "or you wouldn't even have a shirt left."
"Lemme ask you somethin' seein' that you know so much about poker," said Fanning. "How far should a man back two pairs?"
"Them assassins? You get up to this table, you scoffin' innocent, an' I'll show you when you ought to let loose of two pair," chuckled Dailey. "Who's this comin'? Fraser! Come over here, Bill, an' help me rope a couple of tenderfeet into a little game of draw. They're shy tonight."
"Who's th' other, besides me?" inquired Fraser, leaning against the bar.