om the first few deals, and the priest
began to ask questions.

"Be ye going to the races?"

They said they were.

"Ah! and Oi suppose ye'll be betting wid thim bookmakers--betting on the
horses, will yez? They do be terrible knowing men, thim bookmakers, they
tell me. I wouldn't bet much if Oi was ye," he said, with an affable
smile. "If ye go bettin' ye will be took in wid thim bookmakers."

The boys listened with a bored air and reckoned that by the time they
parted the priest would have learnt that they were well able to look
after themselves. They went steadily on with the game, and the priest
and the young squatter won slightly; this was part of the plan to lead
them on to plunge. They neared the station where the priest was to get
out. He had won rather more than they liked, so the signal was passed
round to "put the cross on". Poker is a game at which a man need not
risk much unless he feels inclined, and on this deal the priest stood
out. Consequently, when they drew up at his station he was still a few
pounds in.

"Bedad," he said, "Oi don't loike goin' away wid yer money. Oi'll go on
to the next station so as ye can have revinge." Then he sat down again,
and play went on in earnest.

The man of religion seemed to have the Devil's own luck. When he was
dealt a good hand he invariably backed it well, and if he had a bad one
he would not risk anything. The sports grew painfully anxious as they
saw him getting further and further ahead of them, prattling away all
the time like a big schoolboy. The squatter was the biggest loser so
far, but the priest was the only winner. All the others were out of
pocket. His reverence played with great dash, and seemed to know a lot
about the game, so that on arrival at the second station he was a good
round sum in pocket.

He rose to leave them with many expressions of regret, and laughingly
promised full revenge next time. Just as he was opening the carriage
door, one of the Mulligan fraternity said in a stage-whisper: "He's a
blanky sink-pocket. If he can come this far, let him come on to Sydney
and play for double the stakes." Like a shot the priest turned on him.

"Bedad, an' if _that's_ yer talk, Oi'll play ye fer double stakes from
here to the other side of glory. Do yez think men are mice because they
eat cheese? It isn't one of the Ryans would be fearing to give any man
his revinge!"

He snorted defiance at them, grabbed his cards and waded in. The others
fe