“You’re sort of a cross atween a man and monkey, ain’t ye?” he jokingly demanded.
“Well, sir, I’ll not take any blue ribbons for my beauty,” rejoined Green, laughing.
“Ha, ha, ha!” roared Nick. “That’s the stuff, my lad! All ready, eh? What’s to the top o’ the box—an eight?”
Despite his show of carelessness, Nick had seen the cards shuffled, stripped, and butted. He knew to a certainty how to place his money. He divided his stack of chips and coppered two winners for the entire lot.
Godard felt a thrill of exultation.
Nick had set his money down to lose.
The miscreant opposite was not forced to take a false card in order to win, and he felt relieved.
The first turn from the box brought a decision—the pretended dealer in cattle had lost.
“Oh, ho!” he cried, with a quick flash of his eyes. “Can you do thet, ag’in? Let’s see you do thet ag’in!”
Godard’s only reply was to send out another turn from the deal box.