And the unequal match was arranged. In half an hour’s time the two were seated in Sam’s back room, with all the chips in the house divided in two equal parts, and the game was begun with the clear understanding that the winner of all the chips could claim from the other all that he owned on earth down to his undershirt. As there was nothing whatever to attract the attention of anybody in Brownsville to any other point, the room was crowded with lookers-on, and all those who could not gain entrance stood outside and discussed the probabilities. “If Gallagher do play close,” said Stumpy, “I’m thinkin’ he’ll win out, for Long Mike’s the divil for bluffin’ an’ Gallagher knows it, worse luck!” And this was the general sentiment. In the first half-hour--for the game was a long one--Long Mike’s luck was by no means good, and though the big man made no violent plunges, his pile of chips dwindled until Gallagher had all but a single stack of blues. Of course, there was no arbitrary money value to a chip, but they called them dollars for convenience, the reds being a quarter and the whites a nickel. It was Long Mike’s deal and Gallagher anted the usual nickel, but the dealer, finding nothing, threw in a blue and took his change from the other, making a ten-cent jack. This was sweetened, a nickel at a time, till there was a dollar in the pot. Then, Gallagher dealing, Long Mike opened it for a dollar. “I’ll raise you two,” said Gallagher. “Five better,” said Long Mike, pushing in the chips. “All you’ve got,” said Gallagher. “Go you,” said Long Mike, and they both stood pat. Each had a flush, but Long Mike’s was ace high and Gallagher’s best card was a jack. The next hand was passed and another jack-pot made. Gallagher opened it, was raised, raised back, and was raised again till once more Long Mike’s pile was in the centre and Gallagher stood to win it all. Again they both stood pat and showed two straights, but Long Mike’s was the better. This gave him eighty dollars to play with, but Gallagher still had nearly three hundred, so it took another hand like the last to put the two on anything like even ground. “If Long Mike wins again,” whispered Stumpy to his next neighbour in great excitement, “he’s got his luck wid him, an’ it’s good-bye, Gallagher.” His neighbour nodded, and their hopeful faces showed that they shared fully in the general wish that Long Mike would win. It was with strained attention that the crowd watched the next deal, and a sigh of satisfaction followed the making of another jack-pot. This was sweetened again and again till the spectators lost patience, and Long Mike expressed his poor opinion of the cards violently and called for a new deck. It was brought and shuffled, and on the first deal both caught openers. Long Mike opened and Gallagher raised, but instead of raising again, Long Mike simply made good and called for one card. Then he chipped without looking at his draw.