“What's the ante?” he asked.

“Oh, five hundred?” McNally replied.

Blaney pushed the cards back.

“No,” he said, “not enough.”

Williams seconded his chief with a shake of the head.

“Well, name it yourself.”

“A thousand.”

McNally pursed his lips, then drew out a wallet, and counted out three thousand dollars in large bills, which he laid in the centre of the table.

“There's four playing,” suggested Blaney.

McNally scowled.