It was no sooner covered than I rolled out a nine and repeated promptly. “Shoot the two,” said Ben.
It was covered and out rolled an eleven.
“Four bet,” announced Ben, restraining me from picking up part of the four dollars.
“Let’s play safe,” I argued.
“You’re hot, Leony—let it ride!”
So I did and we proceeded to run wild, until Ben advised that we could now play safe.
After a while my mind began to wander around and my ears caught up the sound of the chaplain’s voice again. I looked up and discovered that a ventilator shaft opened almost directly over my head, which explained how the chaplain’s voice came down to us so clearly. Then it struck me as probable that our noise could be heard up on deck.
But up to this point the crap shooters had managed to keep their voices more or less subdued. Gambling was prohibited, of course, and most of these games were very quiet affairs.
Now, however, the game became rather exciting, due to several wild runs of luck to the profit of a corporal and a sailor. The voices began to sound a little higher and louder, as the men forgot to be careful. I decided that Sergeant Canwick would be better off up on deck listening to the sermon.
Ben didn’t mind, now that he had a surplus to work with. I told him I’d be upstairs if he wanted me, and he slid down into my place in the circle. I scurried up the ladder and ambled around within hearing distance of the Chaplain.