his big roll, slammed it down on the table,
and said:

"Thar's my pile, and you fellars darn't cover her."

I whispered to my friend, telling him that now was the time. Then
I asked Jack how much he had in the roll. He said:

"Wall, I don't know; I had $7,000 when I left Greenups, and I lost
$1,000 in Cincinnater and what yer win just now, so I reckon I've
got nigh onto $6,000."

I requested one of the bystanders to count the money, which he did,
and found it to be just $5,500. My friend had $3,400, and I put
up the balance.

I told him to turn the card, as he had up the most.

Old Jack mixed them up, but he was so drunk he could hardly pick
up a card. My friend could hardly wait for Jack to say ready before
he dove in and grabbed the one with the spot on it, but when he
turned it over he saw it was not the one with the boy on it.

Old Jack snatched the money from the gentleman that was holding
stakes, and shoved it down into his pockets. Then turning to the
crowd, he said:

"Wall, why don't yer's laugh now?"

They did laugh, for most of them felt like it. Old Jack joined
in, and laughed louder than any of them, and then turning around
to the table, he began looking for his precious tickets. He had
put them in his pocket without any one seeing him, but pretended
he was ruined if he could not find them. I told him the barkeeper
had some just like them, and I would go and get them for him. That
quieted him down, and he said:

"Wall, if I kin get t'others I don't care, fur I wanted to show
'em to pap when I gets out thar in Texas."

I went to the bar, as though I had gone for the cards, and returned
with them. Old Jack laughed when he saw them, saying:

"Wall, I be gol-darned if they haint just like t'others."

I gave Jack the new set, but I turned up a corner on the boy card
so every one could see it. Then I told him to mix them up, and I
would make him a bet of a $1,000. We put up the money; I turned
and won. Then the bystanders began to take more interest in the
game than ever, and the fun began again. One fat gentleman crowded
in and wanted to bet. I said:

"Boys, let us make up a pony purse, and we will all bet on the same
card." My friend wanted to get into the same party, but did not
have any ready cash, so he asked me for a loan, offering his watch
and diamond as security. I let him have $1,000, which he put up.
The fat gent put up $1,300, and another man put in $400. I put up