The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-05

got two other suckers that came aboard
there an started a game with them the
very first night they was aboard.
The cap'n didn't happen to see EN- till
busy an he hadn't been In the saloon. but
I'd been lookin' on an seen that the two
new men wasn't likely TO he 90 easy as the
first two was, They played close game
an they act acted like they knew what sor; Of
confidence In themselves that might. and
, might not, get EN- in trouble.
One thing, they called for a new deck
every little while, an they looked at 'em
mighty close when they played like they
game. Then they didn't bet on every
hand they had. even II twas a tolable
good one. They was losin'', though, like
i looked to see EN- lose, an after a while
they got to playin' harder instead O. closer,
shown they was losin' their heads.
Then came play. long late In the even
In that hit em pretty hard, or one on EN-.
rather. for the other one dropped out
II were Hornby's deal an a jaokopt with
about six dollars In It, an the man on his
left opened 1t for the size Of it
Adams stayed and the other man stayed,
an Hornby raised 1t. The opener dropped
| out, an Adams stayed. and The other man
when it come to the draw Adams took
two an the sucker took one, an Horribly
stood pat o. course il were Adamss bet,
an he anted five dollars
The sucker looked at his draw an found
he'd caught a seven spot to his kings an
ten They was piayin' table stakes an
there was seven or eight hundred on the
last hundred.
Then Horribly he p'tended to study awhile
well, ! don't know Either you filed
or you didn't, but III take a chance. any
how, an he seen the raise.
;. That put It up to Adams an he boosted
II twenty-five.
THE sucker, he thought a while, an
kind o. thought he might give 1t another tilt
but he didn't. i don't know whether no
suspicioned anything or not, but he just
seen the raise. Then Horribly laughed. an
he says:
~ was a little, bit afraid Of you. but II
you amt strong enough to 60 back at a
two-card draw, I'll hist 1t myself an he
makes It twenty-five more.
Then ! seen plain enough what they
was big enough to make the 81 ranger cough
up his pile, anyhow, an drive him TO the
boneyard. which o. course IL vas, 'thouten'
he were suspicious.
o. course, 'twan,t Adsms's play to raiss
do, so he come in, an the other man throwed
down his cards.
81 might be strong enough to raise a
two-card draw, even at that he says, but
amt fool enough to play against q double
cross.
Right then was where Hornby an Adams
made a mistake. o. course. it was call.
an both on 'em had ought for TO have
showed their cards. but Hornby showed
his down, which II was flush, an Adams
says, That's good an throwed his hand
on the discard. The idea was, O. course.
TO make the sucker think he'd been blufIed.
but he want so rank as they thought he
"a quick as lightning he reached over
an picked up Adams's five cards. Hold
on he says. That's a called hand. Let's
see what you was bettin' on
AN just then Cap'n Withers come into the
saloon.
Adams must ha' lost his head. He'd
o. talk, or offended he'd made a mistake,
or somethin'. but he reached out an tried
to grab the cards out o the suckers hand.
It's none o your business what ! had,
he shouted. You've laid down your cards.
But the sucker was cool 'nough now.
That's all right. he said. holdin' the
cards up where Adams couldn't reach
'ein. but called hands has to be showed
face up. They was a king full on trays.
an o. course was the winnin' hand.
well, he were furious.
II reckoned you was crooked, he eays,
an cussed somethin' terrible. but now
he says know l., You'll u. s q, up sll u the
holes An he had his gun out while he
was tal<n'.
.Hornby was just as quick as he was,
though. an while the other Teller was lookin'
He would ha' plugged him. too, II it hadn't
been for Cap'n Withers.
He jumped In an slugged Hornby, Just
In time to spoil his. aim, an Adams jumped
at the cap'n. 'Peared like he'd lost his
idiotic to make fight on the cap'n Of a boat.
but he did II. an as they both went to the
floor Adams drawed his knife.
well. / had a mighty likely Niger boy
workin' for me then that was as quick as
an both jumped in an we had Adams on
his back In no time at all. an the niger
had the knife. II hadn't stopped him. he'd
ha' drove it into Adams's neck.
well. the capn was wild: He picked
hisself up an for a minute thought he
shootin' on his own account, but he thought
better Of II, an Just eased his mind with Q
little good. hard cussin y,
Then he says to Adams an Horribly
they came aboard. an suspicioned 'em
for gamblers, but hadn't no proof OF 1t 8
long as they played with their own party,
but II he'd knowed they was goin' to rope
In other passengers ne q ma put EN- ashore
at Memphis. As 1t was. he'd send EN-
ashore right then, as soon as they'd give
back all they'd won I'm the two Memphis
men. an I'm the first two suckers. too. II
thew wanted to claim II.
sWell. Hcrnby said he'd he damned IL
he'd give up q dollar an the cap'n says:
s'Ali right II you don't. III have you
throwed overheard, An he motioned to my
Niger to do It, an you never seen Niger
in your life look as happy as that one did;
But Adams an Horribly both weakened
when they seen the oap'n was In earnest.
, an they give up what the two Memphis
men claimed. The two I'm New Madrid
was different. They said they'd lost their
money straight enough so far "a they
knew an they didn't want II back. an the
cap'n cussed ON for two fools.
sThen he stopped the boat long enough
20 lower a rowtoat and send the two gam
blers ashore with orders to dump EN- any.
Whcrn. An I'm that day till the Belle o
the River was bowed up there want never
no more poker PLAYED on board OF her.
ceptin', a. I said, such small games a. you
| see nowadays that don't hurt nobody.
PEANUT EATERS IN THE CARS
what One Man would DO with Them II He
Had his Way.