would be about 267 miles.
It might possibly be 266, or 268; but they thought that they were sure
that it would be one of those three numbers. The next thing was to
circulate statements, and to express opinions in private conversation
here and there among the passengers, in a careless sort of way, to
produce a general impression that the rate of the ship would be not
less than 270 miles. This was to lead the owners of the tickets, and the
betters generally, not to attach a high value to the numbers below 270.
By doing this, they expected to depress the value of these tickets in
the general estimation, so that they could buy then easily. They
calculated that, if their plans succeeded, they could buy 266, 267, and
268 for about a sovereign apiece--the holders of them being made to
suppose, by their manoeuvres that those numbers would have very little
chance of obtaining the prize.

The plan was very deeply laid, and very skilfully executed; and the men
were so far successful in their efforts that they did produce a general
impression that the ship's run could not be below 270. They also bought
ticket 268, though they had to give two sovereigns for it. It has
already been shown how their attempts to get possession of 267 failed,
by Hilbert's refusal to sell it. They of course also failed to get 266,
for that ticket was not to be found. They could not make any very open
and public inquiries for it, as it was necessary that every thing which
they did should be performed in a very unconcerned and careless manner.
They, however, made repeated inquiries privately for this ticket but
could not get any tidings of it. A certain sailor told some of the
betters that an Irishwoman on the forward deck had a ticket which she
offered to sell for two shillings; but when, on being asked what the
number was, he answered 99, they laughed at him, supposing that somebody
had been putting a hoax upon the poor Irishwoman, as there was no such
number as that in the lottery.

Besides the manoeuvres of these two confederates, there was another
man who was devising a cunning scheme for obtaining the prize. This was
the mate of a merchant ship that had put into the port of New York in a
damaged condition, and had there been sold. The mate, being thus left
without a vessel, was now returning as a passenger in the steamer, to
Scotland, where he belonged.

This man was accustomed to navigation; and he had the necessary books
for making the computatio