"Oh, now what's happened?"
"He sickened of those boys and girls he was selling tickets with and to drown yesterday's recollections he took a hand at cards with two strangers."
Ramsey caught her breath but then laughed joyously. "He couldn't! He had no money!"
"Except from his sale of tickets."
"Oh!" Her tears started. "Oh, where was mammy Joy?"
"Nursing the sick."
"The new—?" She barely escaped breaking her word. "Oh," she moaned, "he didn't use that money?"
"He lost it. He was wild to play on and recover it, and his brothers were as eager to have him do it."
"Why, they couldn't help him. They tried, yesterday, to borrow from mom-a.... Wait." The last word came softly. The Gilmores and the mate drew near to see the Antelope overtaken. There she loomed, out on the starboard bow, shrouded in the swirling rain. How unlike the earlier passing, down below Natchez! No touching of guards, no hail by sign or sound. "Like ladies under two umbrell's!" laughed Ramsey to the actor's wife.
Now squarely abreast, stem and stem, wheel and wheel, the two crafts seemed to stand motionless with the tempest rushing aft between them. Then fathom after fathom the Antelope fell behind, the mate and the Gilmores moved away, Ramsey softly bade Hugh "go on," and his first utterance drew her liveliest look.