"

"You can lose your money on a horse race too quick to suit me,"
replied Stubb. "I prefer to stick to poker; but you go ahead and win
all you can, for spring is a long ways off yet."

"My observation of you as a poker player, my dear Stubby, is that you
generally play the first hand to win and all the rest to get even."

They used up considerable time scoring for the free-for-all running
race Christmas Day, during which delay Baugh not only got all his
money bet, but his watch and a new overcoat. The race went off with
the usual dash, when there were no more bets in sight; and when it
ended Baugh buttoned up the top button of his coat, pulled his
hat down over his eyes, and walked back from the race track in a
meditative state of mind, to meet Stubb and Arab Ab.

"When I gamble and lose I never howl," said Baugh to his friends, "but
I do love a run for my money, though I didn't have any more chance
to-day than a rabbit. I'll take my hat off to the man that got it,
however, and charge it up to my tuition account."

"You big chump, you! if you hadn't bet your overcoat it wouldn't be so
bad. What possessed you to bet it?" asked Stubb, half reprovingly.

"Oh, hell, I'll not need it. It's not going to be a very cold winter,
nohow," replied Baugh, as he threw up one eye toward the warm sun.
"We need exercise. Let's walk back to town. Now, this is a little
unexpected, but what have I got you boy's for, if you can't help a
friend in trouble. There's one good thing--I've got my board paid
three weeks in advance; paid it this morning out of yesterday's
winnings. Lucky, ain't I?"

"Yes, you're powerful lucky. You're alive, ain't you?" said Stubb,
rubbing salt into his wounds.

"Now, my dear Stubby, don't get gay with the leading lady; you may get
in a bad box some day and need me."

This turn of affairs was looked upon by Stubb and Arab as quite a joke
on their leader. But it was no warning to them, and they continued
to play their favorite games, Stubb at poker, while Arab gave his
attention to monte. Things ran along for a few weeks in this manner,
Baugh never wanting for a dollar or the necessary liquids that cheer
the despondent. Finally they were forced to take an inventory of their
cash and similar assets. The result was suggestive that they would
have to return to the chuck-line, or unearth some other resource. The
condition of their finances lacked little of the red-ink line.

Baugh, who had been silent durin