He was aroused by the unpleasant voice of Shultz. “Come, wake up there, Vidocq; you haven’t even anted. Shove out a white chip before you look at your cards.”
[CHAPTER VIII—A HOT GAME.]
As the game progressed Piper found himself losing steadily, and, what was most annoying, almost always he was beaten by Shultz, who himself was having bad luck and growling over it.
“Good thing for me you came into the game, Eagle Eye,” said Shultz, laying down three Jacks, which topped Piper’s three tens, and pulling in the chips. “These other sharks would have had me skinned to the bone by this time, only for you.”
“Oh, my turn will come,” declared Sleuth. “Give me another stack, Ned; that one’s gone.”
Osgood counted out another dollar’s worth of chips and received Billy’s money, which he deposited in the handsome chip case.
“You’re the right sort after all, Sleuthy,” he smiled. “You’re a good loser. I realize that I haven’t known you very well up to date.”
“A man,” said Piper loftily, “should take his losings without squealing.”
“What do you mean by that?” snapped Shultz. “Are you knocking me?”
“Oh, no—no, not at all,” Piper hastened to disclaim, aware that the fellow’s bad fortune had aroused his belligerent nature.