Bloodgood turned pale and then flushed. He held onto himself with all his strength. Here was his chance to get back his losings. Everything was in his favor. He was confident there were some good hands out, and it was very likely some of them might be improved on the draw, but he felt the pot was the same as his. The Frenchman drew two cards. Slush took one. Then hot work began. Within three minutes Hazleton, with his three nines, had been driven out. Bloodgood, Montfort and Slush remained, raising steadily. There was intense excitement in that room. The captain of the steamer had come in, and he was looking on. Some of the spectators were literally shaking with excitement. Bloodgood's chips were used up. He flung money on the table. All that he had went into the pot, and still he would not call. He offered his I.O.U.'s, but Mr. Slush declined to agree. "Money or its equivalent," said the little man, with such decisiveness that all were astonished. "I haven't any money," protested Bloodgood. "Then you are out," said Slush. "It's robbery!" cried Bloodgood. "Why, you can't kick; you haven't even called once." "Not even once, saire," purred the Frenchman. "By blazes! I have the equivalent!" shouted Bloodgood. Into an inner pocket he plunged. He brought out a velvet jewel box. When this was opened, there was a cry of wonder, for a magnificent diamond necklace was revealed. "That is worth ten thousand dollars!" declared Bloodgood, "and I'll bet as long as it lasts!" Mr. Slush held out his hand. "Please let me examine it," he said. He took a good look at it. "Ees it all right, sair?" asked the Frenchman, eagerly. "It is," said Mr. Slush, "and I will take charge of it!" He thrust the case into his pocket, rose quickly, stepped past Montfort and clapped a hand on Bloodgood's shoulder. "I arrest you, Benton Hammersley, for the Clayton diamond robbery!" he said. "It is useless for you to resist, for you are on shipboard, and you cannot escape." Bloodgood uttered a fierce curse, "Who in the fiend's name are you?" he snarled, turning pale. And "Mr. Slush" answered: "Dan Badger, of the New York detective force! Permit me to present you with a pair of handsome bracelets, Mr. Hammersley." Click--the trapped diamond thief was ironed! CHAPTER XIII. FIRE IN THE HOLD. Everyone except the detective himself seemed astounded. The clever officer, who had played his part so well, was as cool as ice. The Frenchman cried: "But zis pot--eet ees not settailed to whom eet belong yet!" The detective stepped back to his chair. "The easiest way to settle that is by a show-down," he said. "Under the circumstances, further bettering is out of the question." "And I rather think I am in the showdown," choked out the prisoner. "I'll need this money to defend myself when I come to trial." "You shall have it," assured Dan Badger--"if you win it."