minutes had passed he had shot the chutes, and had
ridden over a steeplechase which took him through dark caverns, where
dragons glared at him and where electrical sparks were constantly flying
through the air. It was all so new, so different from anything he had
seen before, that he was simply lost in admiration. He was standing
near a theatre, when a short, dark man touched him on the arm, and said,
"Come this way, young man, and I'll teach you the best game of all."

CHAPTER XI.

A DAY AND A NIGHT IN CONEY ISLAND--RAIDING A GAMBLING DEN.

ARCHIE was at first too much surprised to answer the man at all, but in
a few moments he remembered that he was now a reporter, and that it
was his duty to see all that he could, and have all the new experiences
possible. So he decided to follow the man, and find out what "the best
thing of all" in Coney Island was like. He was taken through several
narrow alleyways, and finally he found himself in front of a tumble-down
structure, built out directly over the water. It was very modest in
appearance, and everything seemed quiet about the place. The shades were
carefully drawn, and the dark man had to knock three times before the
door was opened and they were permitted to enter. Inside, Archie found
himself in a handsomely furnished apartment which differed greatly in
appearance from the exterior of the building. There was a rich velvet
carpet, mahogany furniture, and a great many small tables standing about
the room. The place was filled with men, mostly well-dressed, who were
playing various games. Some were dealing cards, others were twirling
wheels with numbers on them, and some were playing games with chips.
It didn't take Archie long to realise that he had been steered into a
gambling den of the worst kind, and he was immediately on the alert for
future developments. He watched every movement of his new friend, and
noticed that he found it necessary to speak to several of those present
in a low undertone. This didn't worry Archie, because he knew that
he was in no danger except of losing money, and he felt that he could
afford to lose some money, since he was sure to earn more by writing
about the experience for the newspaper.

So he carefully observed all that was going on, making mental notes of
the peculiarities of the place and the people. When at last the dark
man came up and inquired if he wouldn't like a chance to earn some money
easily, he very readily answere