“In the first place, then,” the little man remarked, amid dead silence, as he sipped his punch, “let me say you have, in my judgment, enormously underestimated the amount of money in the rooms.”
“Ah!”
“I know the place well, and speak with some authority.”
“Just what we want.”
“Now, there are nine roulette and four trente-et-quarante tables. Each, I am told, is furnished with £4000 to begin play on for the day; total, £52,000.”
“Mark this, gentlemen!” cried the agitated Brentin.
“But each table wins per diem, roughly speaking, about £400; so that, if you select, say, ten o’clock in the evening for your attempt, you may count on £5200 more—total, say, £58,000.”
“Make a note, gentlemen,” said Brentin, “that we select ten-thirty, to make sure.”
“That does not take into account the money lying there already staked by the players, which you may calculate as fully £3000 more.”
“Oh, go slow, Mr. Bailey Thompson, sir, go slow!”