But here there was an almost general protest.
"Oh, what's the use of that, Moore? It was the duke who
brought that nonsense in, and it ought to be stopped; it spoils the game. Stick to the legitimate thing. When you once begin that stupidity, there's no stopping it."
However, the player whom Lionel had challenged had no mind to deny him.
"For the whole pot, or for what you put in?" he asked.
"Either—whichever you like," Lionel said, carelessly.
"We'll say the whole pot, then: either I give you what's on the table, or you double it," the lucky young gentleman made answer, as he proceeded to count the sovereigns and chips—there was £28 in all. "Will you call to me? Very well. What do you say this is?"—spinning a sovereign.
"I say it's a head," Lionel replied.
"You've made a mistake, then—very sorry," said the other, as he raked in his own money.
"I owe you twenty-eight pounds, Johnny," Lionel said, without more ado; and he took out his note-book and jotted it down. Then they went on again.