This sleight of hand my _flat_ shall _land_ While _covered_ by my _bonnet_,[104] I _plant_ my ball, and boldly call, Come make your game upon it! Thus rat-a-tat! I land my flat! 'Tis black--not red--is winning. At gay _roulette_ was never met A lance like mine for _bleeding_! I'm ne'er _at fault_, at nothing halt, All other _legs_ preceding. To all awake, I never shake A _mag_[105] unless I nip it. _Blind-hookey_ sees how well I squeeze The _well-packed_ cards in shuffling. Ecarté, whist, I never missed, A nick the _broads_[106] while ruffling. Mogul or loo, The same I do, I am down to trumps as trippet! _French hazard_ ta'en, _I nick the main_, Was ne'er so prime a _caster_. No _crabs_ for me, I'm fly, d'ye see; The bank shall change its master. Seven _quatre_, _trois_, The stakes are high! Ten _mains_! ten _mains_ are mine, pals! At _Rouge et Noir_, you _hellite_[107] choir I'll make no bones of stripping; One glorious _coup_ for me shall _do_, While they may deal each _pip_ in. _Trente-un-après_ Ne'er clogs my way; The game--the game's divine, pals. At billiards set, I make my bet, I'll _score_ and win the _rub_, pals; I miss my _cue_, my _hazard_, too, But yet my foe I'll drub, pals. That _cannon-twist_, I ne'er had missed, Unless to suit my views, pals. To make all right, the match look _tight_, This trick, you know, is done, pals; But now be gay, I'll _show_ my play-- Hurrah! the game is won, pals. No hand so fine, No wrist like mine, No odds I e'er refuse, pals. Then choose your game; whate'er you name, To me alike all offers; Chic-hazard, whist, whate'er you list, Replenish quick your coffers. Thus, rat-a-tat! I _land_ my _flat_! To every purse I _speak_, pals. _Cramped boxes_ 'ware, all's right and fair, _Barred balls_ I _bar_ when goaded; The deuce an ace is out of place! The deuce a die is _loaded_! Then make your game, Your color name; Success attend the _Greek_, pals. "Bravo, Jerry--bravissimo!" chorused the party. "And now, pals, farewell!--a long farewell!" said Dick, in a tone of theatrical valediction. "As I said before, the best friends must separate. We may soon meet again, or we now may part forever. We cannot command our luck; but we can make the best of the span allotted to us. You have your game to play. I have mine. May each of us meet with the success he deserves."