"'What the devil difference does that make?' I inquired.
"'Oh,' said he patronizingly, 'I see you're a bit new at the game. You see, you can't draw to flushes. You've got to hold 'em pat.'
"Well, that was the worst jab I had yet received, but I had to stand for it, on the 'do-as-the-Romans-do' principle.
"In San Diego I got into a game with some fellows who were so warm that they wouldn't play anything but jack-pots. At the start-off of the game—the first hand—none of the four of us could open it. It went around three times, and on the fourth deal I caught a pair of queens. Two of the other fellows stayed. I caught another queen, and played the hand for all it was worth. When I was called I showed down my hand, and had 'em both beat.
"'Foul hand,' said they. 'You didn't have openers,' and they looked at me suspiciously.
"'The dickens you say!' said I. 'I went in with a pair of queens and caught another one—there they are.'
"'But you needed aces,' said they, all at once. 'It went around four times, and jack-pots are progressive, of course. D'ye mean to say you didn't know that? Sorry, old man, that we'll have to split the pot.'
"'Are they always progressive out here?' I asked.
"'Always,' they answered, and that settled it. The pot was split."