aced--the tedious hours; the hardships, which he was glad
to forget at any cost; the example of companions, all older, and many so
much older than himself; and, not least by any means, his own ardent and
susceptible nature.

One day he joined his comrades in a game of bluff. Now, bluff is a game
there is no fun in unless some stake is played for. The boys had been
ashore, and gathered some pebbles and shells from the beach, and these
were used for the purpose. Frank had great success. He won more shells
than any body. In the excitement, he forgot his thirst, and all the
accompanying troubles. He forgot, too, that this was a kind of gambling.
And he was so elated, that when somebody proposed to play for pennies, he
did not think that it would be much worse to do that than to play for
shells and pebbles.

Unfortunately, he was still successful. He won twenty cents in about an
hour. He did not intend to keep them, for he did not think that would be
right. "I'll play," said he, "and let the boys win them back again." But,
at the next sitting, he won still more pennies; so that he thought he
could well afford to play a bolder game. His success was all the more
gratifying when he considered that he was the youngest of the party, and
that by skill and good fortune he was beating his elders.

One day, after he had won more than a dollar,--which seems a good deal of
money to a boy in his condition,--he began to lose. This was not so
amusing. He had made up his mind that when his winnings were gone, he
would stop playing; and the idea of stopping was not pleasant to
contemplate. How could he give up a sport which surpassed everything else
in the way of excitement? However, he determined to keep his resolution.
And it was soon brought to a test.

The luck had turned, and Frank found himself where he began. If he played
any more, he must risk his own money. He didn't mind losing a few
pennies,--that was nothing serious; but the boys were not playing for
simple pennies now.

"I believe I've played enough, boys," said he, passing his hand across
his heated brow, and casting his eyes around at objects which looked
strange to them after their long and intense application to the cards.

"O, of course!" sneered Jack Winch, who was watching the game, "Frank'll
stop as soon as he is beginning to lose a little."

Jack was not playing, for a very good reason. He had spent nearly all his
money, and lost the rest. He had lost some of it