ionally, and received his daily liquor from Vinton. He no
longer protested when Vinton offered him a drink; he accepted it as a
matter of course, and he had almost completely forgotten that "smoking
wasn't good for a runner." He had just about decided that he wasn't a
runner, anyway.

One evening in early spring he met George Winsor as he was crossing the
campus.

"Hello, George. Where are you going?"

"Over to Ted Alien's room. Big poker party to-night. Don't you want to
sit in?"

"You told me last week that you had sworn off poker. How come you're
playing again so soon?" Hugh strolled lazily along with Winsor.

"Not poker, Hugh--craps. I've sworn off craps for good, and maybe I'll
swear off poker after to-night. I'm nearly a hundred berries to the good
right now, and I can afford to play if I want to."

"I'm a little ahead myself," said Hugh. "I don't play very often,
though, except in the house when the fellows insist. I can't shoot craps
at all, and I get tired of cards after a couple of hours."

"I'm a damn fool to play," Winsor asserted positively, "a plain damn
fool, I oughtn't to waste my time at it, but I'm a regular fiend for the
game. I get a great kick out of it. How's to sit in with us? There's
only going to be half a dozen fellows. Two-bit limit."

"Yeah, it'll start with a two-bit limit, but after an hour deuces'll be
wild all over the place and the sky will be the limit. I've sat in those
games before."

Winsor laughed. "Guess you're right, but what's the odds? Better shoot a
few hands."

"Well, all-right, but I can't stay later than eleven. I've got a quiz in
eccy to-morrow, and I've got to bone up on it some time to-night."

"I've got that quiz, too. I'll leave with you at eleven."

Winsor and Hugh entered the dormitory and climbed the stairs. Allen's
door was open, and several undergraduates were lolling around the room,
smoking and chatting. They welcomed the new-comers with shouts of "Hi,
Hugh," and "Hi, George."

Allen had a large round table in the center of his study, and the boys
soon had it cleared for action. Allen tossed the cards upon the table,
produced several ash-trays, and then carefully locked the door.

"Keep an ear open for Mac," he admonished his friends; "He's warned me
twice now," "Mac" was the night-watchman, and he had a way of dropping
in unexpectedly on gambling parties. "Here are the chips. You count 'em
out, George. Two-bit limit."

The boys drew up chairs