"Does sound reasonable," said Squint, "three deuces makin' only six, an' th' others makin'--a king is thirteen--twenty-six, an' two more is twenty-eight. That the way you been figgerin' all these years, Tom?" Big Tom smiled. "Howd'y, Nelson. What brings you down here so early?" "Curiosity, mostly," answered Johnny. "That an' not havin' nothin' to do. An' I'm grievin' about them two dollars Dailey took away from me last night." "Nobody that wiggles away from Dailey an' only leaves two dollars behind can associate with me steady," objected Fraser. "I got my rights." "Mebby we'll see him get two more tonight," said Squint. "We're ridin' in with money in our pockets." "An' you'll travel light returnin'," said Big Tom. "An' most amazin' noisy," laughed Squint. After a little more idle conversation Johnny pulled his hat more firmly down on his head. "Well, I just thought I'd drop in an' say hello. Any place else to go?" "Don't be in no hurry," said Big Tom. "But if yo're set, you might get acquainted with th' Triangle--it's only an hour's ride. They'll be in town, too, tonight." Johnny nodded all around and rode off the way they pointed. He looked carefully at the brands of the cattle he passed, stopped at the Triangle for a drink and a few minutes conversation with a puncher who was saddling a fresh horse and returned by the trail around the eastern end of Pine Mountain, to Gunsight, where he spent the afternoon playing seven-up with Dave, with indifferent success. Night had scarcely fallen when a whooping down the trail heralded the approach of an outfit. It was from the Triangle and they stamped in eagerly. Dailey, Fanning, and several more of the townsfolk followed them, and it was not long before liquor and cards vied with each other for the honors of the evening. Johnny, declining cards, and going easy with the liquor, watched the games and became better acquainted all around. "I'm losin' my holt," mourned Dailey. "Reckon I'm sick." "When you get so sick you can't move," grunted Hank Lewis, foreman of the Triangle, "I'm comin' in an' take yore clothes. You'll be left like you was born." "You ain't got a chance, Hank," asserted Fanning. "I live next door to him, an' I'll get him first. Here's a little more to freeze him out." "No man with three jacks ought to sit in this here game at all," muttered Gardner, sorrowfully. "But I'm trailin'." "Now that I know what Sam's got, I'll trail, too," grinned George Lang. "Here comes Huff an' his angels." The Bar H arrived tempestuously. Big Tom's voice could be heard above the noise and he was the first to enter, followed closely by his outfit. He nodded to the crowd and ordered drinks all around. Exchanging a few words with Dave, he approached Johnny. "Reckon you can hold onto that last pot, Nelson?" he asked. "I'll do my best," replied Johnny. "I'll have a better chance with Dailey out of our game." "Let's make up another table," said Big Tom, looking around.