Jack and His Seven Foes — page 49: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

40 JACK AND HIS SEVEN: FOES. Drinking-places and gambling-houses abound. 7 And there is no law to check the doings of either. Around one of the gambling tables a motley crowd had assembled, and among them was the Swaggerer and his five followers, and all had some venture on. The croupier, a sallow-faced French- man, knew his work, and called out the results of the game in the even monoton- ous tone of his class, paying out and raking in the money with a dexterity and correctness only to be acquired by a clear head and long practice. ‘Red wins!” he eried, and the Swagegerer, who had backed the black, was heard to mutter bitter anathemas on the rosy colour. All his companions had followed his lead but Magson the Lifter, and he, out of mere obstinacy, had gone in opposition to his fellows. Seven times running had the red turned up, and the Lifter had quite a little pile of money in front of him. “‘T’ll back the red this time,”’ said the Swage¢erer. : “And TIl back the black,” said Magson, with a laugh. The other four held aloof once just to watch the result of the game. Black won. “‘ Was there ever such luck?” asked the Swaggerer, appealing to his followers. “T’'ll go black now.”’ The Lifter, of course, went on the red, and red won. “Now,” he said, rising, “I feel that. my spell of luck is over, and I'll give im. ° “Ay, get away,’ growled the Swag- gerer, ‘and I’ll see what I can do with- out you. Where are you going ?”’ “To our diggings to pack up my few traps,’ the Lifter replied. ‘“ Don’t forget that the ‘ Rattlesnake’ sails with the ebb at one in the morning.” ‘““ We can leave here at twelve, and be on board in time,” said the Swaggerer, “and I shall stick here until it is time to start.” | The game was too fascinating for the others to leave, whether they played or simply looked on, and they remained behind. The Lifter lounged to a table in the middle of the room, helped himself to some drink, and, with the self-satisfied. air of a winner, swaggered out. With varying luck his companions played on until the Pantaloon and the Sneezer were cleaned out, and the rest at very low water-mark. There was no clock in the room, but they knew it was time to go, and the noise of a bell ringing on board the ‘“‘ Rattlesnake,’ as a signal for the passengers to come on board, could be heard. | “ My luck again,” said the Swaggerer, as he picked up some small winnings. “T can’t go wrong now, but I can’t stop to play.” | “Well, I think we must go,”’ said the Settler. “I’ve just the balance of my passage-money—a plague on black and red, I say!” They rose up, and, with melancholy faces, adjourned to the table as Magson the Lifter had done, and partook of drinks, which the liberaland enterprising owner of the den provided free. Then, with gloomy faces, they sought their “diggings,” that 1s, some rooms they had occupied during their three days’ sojourn at St. Lucia. They were in a house at the far end of the little town, occupied by an old Spaniard, with a smooth manner, anda pair of eyes that he might have borrowed from some imp of evil. | . He was standing at the door smoking a cigarette as they came up, and gave them good evening. ‘You must hasten, senores,”’ he said; “ vour time is short.” | ‘We have come for our few things,” replied the Settler, ‘and for our pal—”’ ‘Ah, what you call pal,” said the Spaniard, “how will you take him? On your backs or in a bag? I have kept him for vou. He is very still.” ‘‘ What the everlasting fire and fury do you mean ?” asked the Swaggerer. The Spaniard drew hard at his cigar- ette, nearly burnt out, and laid it aside while he made another. ‘‘T mean, senores,”’ he said, as he swiftly rolled the paper and tobacco, “that if your friend is to go with you he must be carried. He cannot walk.” ‘Drunk ?”’ said the Pantaloon. ) ‘Aged and virtuous senor,” said the | Spaniard, with a leer of overwhelming, CONIC OokKkS.com