Husky reached behind him and took a cup from Sam.

A long wrangle followed as to who should throw first. They finally
left it to the dice, and the choice fell on Joe. Shand was at his left
hand; Husky faced him; Jack was at his right. They held their breath
while the bones rattled in the cup. When they rolled out, their eyes
burned holes in the floor.

"Ten!" cried Joe joyfully. "I'm all right! Beat that if you can!"

Sam, obliged to await the result without participating, was
suffocating with suspense. When the cup passed to Shand he touched the
girl. She looked at him inquiringly. None of the other four were
paying the least attention to them then. Sam asked her with a sign if
she understood the game. He had heard that the natives were inveterate
gamblers.

She nodded. He then, by an unmistakable gesture, let her know that the
stake they played for was--herself. Again she nodded coolly. Sam
stared at her dumbfounded.

In her turn, she asked him with a glance of scorn why he was not in
the game. Young Sam blushed and looked away. He was both abashed and
angry. It was impossible for him to convey his feeling by signs.

Meanwhile Shand threw seven, and Joe rejoiced again. But when Husky,
opposite him, got a beggarly three, the young man's triumph was
outrageous. The evening had left an unsettled score between these two.

"You're done for, lobster!" he cried with intolerable laughter. "Take
your blankets and go outside!"

A vein on Husky's forehead swelled. "You keep a civil tongue in your
head, or I'll smash your face, anyhow," he muttered.

"You're not man enough, Braky!" taunted Joe.

"Well, I'll help him," said Shand suddenly.

"Me, too," added Jack. "Play the game like a man and keep your mouth
shut!"

When the cup went to Jack, Sam caught the girl's eye again. He could
not help trying once more. He looked significantly toward the door.
While the four heads were bent over the floor she could easily have
gained it. She slightly shook her head.

Sam ground his teeth and doggedly attended to the dishes. A surprising
angry pain transfixed his breast. What did he care? he asked himself.
Let her go! But the pain would not be assuaged by the anger. She was
so beautiful!

While rage gnawed at Husky's vitals, and he tried not to show it, Big
Jack shook the cup with cool confidence and tossed the dice on the
floor. Strange if he could not beat three! The little cubes rolled,
staggered, and came to a stop. Fo