g up at Nelson.

"I'm afraid I'd clean up on you fellows if I started," said Evan. "I
think I'd be tempted to hand back my winnings at the end of each game."

Marks laughed and the others smiled.

"Don't consider us," said Brower, "if you want to play and pay for the
fun you get, go to it; that's all we're in it for--just the sport."

"But it's gambling," protested Evan.

"So is going to the Island," observed Levison. "Maybe you'll have a
good time and maybe you won't, but you pay your money just the same."

The sophisticated argument amused Evan, and helped him believe the boys
were in their moderate little game only for amusement, cheap amusement.
They could not afford to take girls out often or even go out alone, so
they had invented an economic substitute for out-door pleasure. They
were trying to take him in with them in their penny-saving pursuit and
he wondered if their company were not worth the mental effort it cost
him to surrender certain ideas about playing cards for money. In this
state of mind he watched the game proceed.

For half an hour longer he stood behind their chairs, studying hands
and trying to figure out the percentage of chance against each man. At
the end of the time he was surprised to see all their reserves just
about even, as they had been at first. Levison saw him intent upon the
game.

"You see, Nelsy," he said, expectorating the stub of a cigar, "it's
fair to every man. Occasionally somebody has a run of luck, like
Brower had last night, and it's worth losing a little to see that
happen; but usually we end up pretty much as we started."

"Except me," said Marks; "I just borrowed these chips from Cantel."

Until now Cantel had been silent, bent on earning the price of two
theatre tickets for the coming Saturday night; but Marks' words roused
him.

"Don't believe it," he said. "In the first place I never have chips to
lend, and in the second place I wouldn't take a chance on this guy. I
don't mind holding two deuces, but two I.O.U.'s of Marks' are too many
for my job."

"Shut up and decorate," growled Brower, who, Evan immediately
discovered, was the unhappy possessor of the four, five, six and seven
of diamonds and the eight of clubs.

Marks tried a bluff and Levison called it.

"You're too industrious," cried the other C man "this bunch
relinquishes its Angora only once a night."

Evan laughed, and felt his fingers itch for a draw. Instead of asking
for a han