"Sure," I said.
"Done with you," said Tombs.
In about five minutes I had bet with everybody present.
"But mind," I said, "there mustn't be any dirty work. You people mustn't go to town to-morrow with the idea of forming a strong coalition and putting prices down."
"It wouldn't be worth while," said Billoo. "As a matter of fact, we'd like nothing better than to see you win your bet, but as you can't, possibly—why, a thousand dollars is always a thousand dollars."
"Just the same," said I, "no coalitions."
The wind went on howling till late in the afternoon and then it began to peter out. We had spent the whole day in the house, and everybody was tired and bored, and nervous about Monday, and bedtime came earlier than usual.
"Sam," said Sally, when we were alone, "it's just occurred to me that we may be causing some of these people to lose a lot of money."
"Why, Sally," I said, "you look scared."
"I am," she said. "Don't you think it would be rather awful?"