“Denver Bay’s from the West, too, isn’t he?”
“You bet he is, and he’s a good little hoss. What odds will you give me on him?”
“The Bay don’t count much of a figure on my books. The race ain’t on yet, you know, and you can’t tell yet what horses will start. But I’ll make a bet of two to one.”
“You can’t do business with me at that figger,” said Nick, turning away.
“Hold on!” said the sharper, pretending to look over the leaves of a note-book in his hand. “I’ll give you five to one if you want to back your favorite.”
“Ten to one would be nearer right.[{9}]”
“You can’t have much confidence in your horse.”
“’Tain’t my horse. I thought I’d drop fifty or a hundred just for luck.”
“A thousand to a hundred is a pretty wild bet.”
“You don’t have ter make it. Tell you what I’ll do. If you’ll make it fifteen to one I’ll go you a hundred.”