It wos billiards as fust brought me and Maxwell and Morgan together. I wos marker at the Jolly Ploughboy under a false name, and when they come in I wos practising the spot stroke, no one else bein' in the room. I'd made thirteen spots, and wos well set for a run, but the minute I set eyes on 'em I began to kid, and missed a lot of winnin' 'azards. I wosn't born yesterday, yer know. They stood watchin' me a little till I laid down my cue and arst 'em if they wanted a game. They looked at each other, and larfed. "O-ho," sed I to myself, "'untin' for mugs." "If he ain't 'ere at four o'clock," sed Maxwell to Morgan, "we needn't egspect 'im till five." "That's so," sed Morgan. They waited till five minutes past four, but the party they wos egspectin' didn't turn up. "We'll secure the table," sed Maxwell, and arst me 'ow many I'd give 'im in a 'undered. "'Ow many 'll yer give me?" wos the question I put to 'im. "That's cool," sed 'e, "a billiard marker wantin' points." "I ain't been long at the game," sed I, by way of apology. "We want the table till seven," sed Maxwell, "to play with a friend wot's comin' to see us, so you and me 'll 'ave a game even." "I'll try my luck," sed I, and we set to work, Morgan bein' so obligin' as to mark for us. "Let's 'ave a bet on it," sed Maxwell. "I'm agreeable, as fur as a shillin' goes," sed I; "it's as much as I can afford to lose." It wos a funny game. 'E 'adn't taken 'arf-a-dozen shots afore I sor 'e wos kiddin', missin' easy shots, and makin' difficult ones, and pretendin' they wos flukes. But I could kid as well as 'im, and I don't think 'e suspected my play 'arf as much as I suspected 'is. We passed each other over and over agin; now 'e wos a'ead, now me. Morgan seemed to be amused at the game, and wos wery free with 'is remarks. At 'arf-past four Maxwell wos eighty-two, and I was twelve behind. "Let's make it two 'undered," 'e sed, "and double the stakes." "All right," sed I, "we ain't dabs either of us." We went on with the game, scorin' wery slow. At ten minutes to five we wos "140 all," neck and neck. Maxwell looked up at the clock. "Our friend 'll be 'ere in ten minutes," sed 'e; and I'm blest if 'e didn't set to work and score fifty-eight off the balls, within two of the game. "Ten to one in shillin's you lose, marker," sed Morgan, when 'is pal commenced 'is big break.