“Good!” cried Harry, gladly seizing the opportunity of averting a fight. “The game! Take your places, gentlemen!”
The lieutenant hesitated for a moment, as if uncertain what to do. Then, with a slight laugh, he said, “Very well, one thing at a time, the other can wait.”
“Come on!” cried Harry, “who goes in? LeNoir, you?”
LeNoir looked at Ranald.
“What you say?”
“No,” said Ranald, shortly, “this is my game!” With that he turned aside from the table and spoke a few words in a low tone to LeNoir, who assisted Rouleau from the room, and after some minutes' absence, returned with a little linen bag. Ranald took the bag and began to count out some money upon the table before him.
“I will play to one hundred dollars,” he said.
The lieutenant and Mr. Sims each laid the same amount before them upon the table.
“I have not so much on me,” said Harry, “but perhaps my I. O. U. will do.”
“What shall we say,” said Mr. Sims, “a dollar to play and five dollars limit?”