Mexico. Twisty Barlow, an old-time friend with whom once he
had gone adventuring in Peru, a man who had been deep sea sailor and
near pirate, real estate juggler, miner, trapper and mule skinner, sat
at his elbow, put many an incisive question, had many a yarn of his own
to spin.

"Headlong, old mate," said Twisty Barlow once, laying his knotty hand
on Kendric's arm, "by the livin' Gawd that made us, I'd like to go
a-journeyin' with the likes of you again. And I know the land that's
waitin' for the pair of us. Into San Diego we go and there we take a
certain warped and battered old stem-twister the owner calls a
schooner. And we beat it out into the Pacific and turn south until we
come to a certain land maybe you can remember having heard me tell
about. And there---- It's there, Headlong, old mate!"

Kendric's eyes shone while Barlow spoke, but then they always shone
when a man hinted of such things as he knew lay in the sailorman's
mind. But at the end he shook his head.

"You're talking about tomorrow or next day, Twisty," he laughed,
filling his deep lungs contentedly. "I've had a bellyful of
manana-talk here of late. All I'm interested in is tonight." He
rattled some loose coins in his pocket. "I've got money in my pocket,
man!" he cried, jumping to his feet. "Come ahead. I stake every man
jack of you to ten dollars and any man who wins treats the house."

Meanwhile Ortega's place had been doing an increasing business. Now
there was desultory playing at several tables where men were placing
their bets at poker, at seven-and-a-half and at roulette; the faro
layout would be offering its invitation in a moment; there was a game
of dice in progress.

Kendric's companions moved about from table to table laughing, making
small bets or merely watching. But presently as half dollars were won
and lost the insidious charm of hazard touched them. Monte stuck fast
to the faro table for fifteen minutes, at the end of which time he rose
with a sigh, tempted to go back to Kendric for a "real stake" and cut
in for a man's play. But he thought better of it and strolled away,
rolling a cigarette and watching the others. Jerry bought a ten dollar
stack of chips and assayed his fortune with roulette, playing his usual
luck and his usual system; with every hazard lost he lost his temper
and doubled his bet. He was the first man to join Monte.

For upward of an hour of play Kendric was content with looking on an