velers or passengers some peddler with his pack. For
the most part, his stock in trade consisted of cheap jewelry, gilded
sleeve-buttons, galvanized watches, plated chains, various notions
and unassortable knick-knacks. Sometimes these peddlers carried
along a wheel, and had the things marked with numbers corresponding
to those on the wheel. The charge was a dollar a spin, and at
whatever number the wheel stopped, the article corresponding belonged
to the investor in the game.

Captain Dix was then in command of the _Hiawatha_, a packet running
from New Orleans to St. Louis. One evening Captain Dix said:

"George, I have got one of those infernal wheel peddling chaps
aboard, and he has been annoying the life out of me. I've driven
him out of the cabin, and he has taken refuge in the barber shop.
I wish you could take him in."

Strolling down towards the barber shop, I caught a glimpse of the
fellow; and being satisfied that he did not know me, I watched his
game for some time, and then ran against it $5 worth.

"That's a heap fairer game than I lost $1,000 at," I said to the
owner.

"What game was that?" he curiously asked.

"The fellow called it Rocky Mountain euchre. I'll go and get you
some of the tickets, and show everybody how the fellow chiseled me
out of my money."

"Oh, that's three-card monte," said the wheel man.

Alexander was along with me; so I began throwing the cards around
awkwardly, when my partner stepped up to the table and began guessing
for fun. Finally he bent one of the corners and showed it to the
wheelman, whispering to him:

"Let's have a little fun out of the old fellow."

Aleck told me to mix 'em up, and offered to bet the drinks that he
could turn up the old woman.

"I've got two chances to your one," I replied; "but I'll go yer."

He turned the wrong one, and I laughed, as did the wheel man.
Aleck then began blackguarding me, saying that I dare not bet on
it; that he did not believe I had any money; till at last I pulled
out a bundle that made the wheel man look wild. Aleck kept on
daring me, so at last I bet him $100 that he couldn't find it the
first time after I had done mixing them. Then he made the bet,
putting the money up in the wheelman's hands; and sure enough, he
turned the old woman. Then I offered to bet him again for $200,
and he turned it a second time. Then I pretended to drop on him,
and refused to bet, saying "that his eyesight was too fine;" but