fellar win it; but he gave me the tickets
for a dram, and I'm goin' to take 'em out what pap lives--but I
won't tell pap I lost anything, fur he don't know how much I got
fur my farm."

My friend said, "Why, Devol, he has been playing three-card monte."

I told him not to give me away, and I would get the fellow to play
the game for us. Then I said to old Jack:

"What are you going to do with the tickets when you get out to
Texas?"

"Wall, I'm goin' to larn 'em, and when I get out to pap's I'll win
all the money them gol-darned cow-boys hev got."

"Do you think you can learn them well enough to win their money?"

"Oh, yes; I'm larnen 'em all the time, and sometimes I can mix 'em
up so I fool myself."

My friend thought he must help me, so he invited us to join him in
another drink.

Old Jack said: "Wall, I don't care if I do."

After getting another dram into old Jack I asked him if he would
show us the tickets. He said:

"Yes, but you mustn't spile 'em, fur I want to keep 'em perty till
I git out war pap lives."

He then pulled out a leather pouch, opened it, took out a handkerchief,
unfolded it very carefully, and produced the three cards. My friend
shrugged his shoulders and laughed. I asked old Jack to show us
how he played the game, when he said:

"I can't show yer so good without a table."

I told him there was a nice table in the barber shop, and invited
him to go back. He consented, so we were soon in the shop seated
around the table, and Jack began to throw the cards. My friend
was very attentive, for he was sure I would win the old fellow's
money, and he did not want to miss any of the fun.

I told Jack I would bet him the drinks I could turn up the ticket
with the boy on it.

He said: "Wall, look here. I've got the name of bein' the spunkyest
fellar up at Greenups'. I never 'lowed any man to back me down
fur a dram, or two drams, either."

He mixed them up; I turned the wrong card and lost. Then Jack
laughed so loud and long that it attracted the attention of everybody
that was awake on the boat, and quite a number of gentlemen came
in to see the fun.

When Jack recovered from his big laugh, he said:

"I knowed yer would miss it."

I called for the drinks, and then told my friend I did not want to
turn the right card until I could get a big bet.

After we drank our liquor, I began bantering old Jack to bet me
some money, but he did not want anything but drams. I kept on