Such was all the conversation I indulged in that night. I went to the purser next day—late in the day, for I felt better in the afternoon than in the morning—told him the circumstances, and requested him to make that little “arrangement;” stating that I was willing to pay the difference. He said the cabin was crowded, but that, in consideration of about thirty-five dollars, he could probably find me a place. This I paid him; and, to make the matter short, I paid thirty-five more in gold on the other side—that is, from Panama to San Francisco—making in all about one hundred and twenty-five dollars for the luxury of a voyage to San Francisco. In a day or two, I was able to stagger about the vessel in a very successful manner, considering my means of perambulating, and on the first Sunday out—three days from New York—the weather being fine, I wended my way forward to give a drink of wine to a sick steerage-passenger, and it was on that occasion that I witnessed a very amusing scene which I shall endeavor to describe. My sick friend was lying on the hurricane deck, shaded by an awning, and very near him were four unchristian-like passengers engaged in the absorbing game of “seven-up.” About that time, a Methodist minister came over from the cabin to conduct a “divine service” or two, and enlighten the benighted steerage-passengers as to the great probability of their losing their immortal souls. He took his position a little way from our “seven-up” party, gave out a text from memory, and proceeded to preach the gospel—during which the game went on—my attention being divided between it and the sermon. “My Christian friends,” began the minister, “I would have you know, in the beginning, that ——” [“You’re bound to trump or follow _suit_, if you have it,” interrupted one of the card-players.] “—— There are two ——” [“Trumps! by jingo!”] “—— Spheres of existence for all mankind. First ——” [“Whose deal is it?”] “—— We are placed on earth to ——” [“Play for a quarter a game.”] “—— Live such a life of honesty, integrity, piety, and godliness, ——” [“Confound such a game!”] “—— That when we come to ——” [“Deal a little faster.”] “—— Leave the scenes of our earthly labors, and trials, and woes, and miseries, we may be ——” [“Skunked, by thunder!”] “—— Prepared to enter upon ——” [“A new game.”] “—— A new and holy existence among ——” [“Clubs or spades.”] “—— The angels.” [“There! he’s turned a jack!”] “But what, my thoughtless friends, what will become of the wicked and ungodly man who ——” [“Deals all the time! That’s three times that I know of!”] “—— Persists in his evil ways till ——” [“The trump is turned.”] “—— The day of judgment? What will be the fate of those who refuse ——” [“Trump three times!”] “—— The offers of mercy, and reject the offered salvation till it is forever too late? When the awful ——” [“Trump!”] “—— Trumpet shall sound and they are summoned from their graves to answer for ——”