"T-click-i-lick-ilick--ah--ha dice! T-click-ilick-i-lick--ah--ha dice!" "Aw, shake'm ole nigga, shake'm!" "Yeh. Roll 'm out. Don' let 'm spin 'roun' on d' en' lak dat! Shake'm up. Make music!" "T-click-i-lick-i-lick--ah--ha dice!" "Trowed eight!" "Dime he'n make it!" "Make it a nickel!" "Ah fate yu'". "Hu'ry up, ole shine! Git yu' bet down." "Shoot um!" "T-click-i-lick-i-lick--ah, ha dice!" "Two bits 'ell seben!" "Ah got yu'!" "T-click-i-lick-i-lick-ah, eighty day-es!" "Cain' make eight wid a one up!" "Do'n' try no kiddin'." "T-click-i-lick-ilick--ah--eighter from Decatur!" "Make music nigga, make music!" "Two bits I'n pass!" "Ah got yu'!" "T-click-i-lick-i-lick--ah--eighty day-es!" "Trowed seben!" "Gimme d' craps!" "Now, dice; ah-seben ah 'leben!" "Throwed craps!" "Hole on! Hole on! You caught dem dice, ole nigga!" "Caught Hell! You trowed craps, d'y 'e heah! Two big sixes!" A scrambling, mingled with much swearing, ensued. "Say, cut out dis awgun' 'n' squabblin'," interposed one. "'E cain' take mah money lak dat," protested the loser. "'F you don' git y' rough mit offa dat coin, yuh big lump a dough, I g'in' finish spreadin' dat nose ovah y' face!" "I'on lak dis-a-way a messin' wi' mah jingle!" "Youse a cheap nigga, Bad Eye, 'n' y' know it. You all time buttin' int' a game wid about a dime, den sta'tin' a big argerment." "Hush! Ain' dat Jackson a-comin'?" Silence for possibly a minute. A muttering began to go around as they schuffled about. "Ah done ca'ied out mah 'structions 'n' now ah wants muh dough-rine," some one spat out ominously. "Me, too," said another. "Aw, be patient. Jack's all right," argued one. "Sho", echoed another. "Yeh, dat' all right, 's fur it goes; but I'n handle mah money bet'n anybody else." A heavy step sounded in the hallway, and presently a door opened into the room, admitting Jackson. "All heah, boys, eh!" He said in a voice that revealed high spirits. "Good--what's this? Havin' a little game already? Say! Looks like y' might a-waited fo' old Jack, ha ha!" "Well," he resumed after a general laughing, "Did eve' body vote straight?" "Sho", they cried in chorus. "N' how 'bout you, little breeches." "Ke-heh! You say. 'Stamp ri' undah da' ole elephant's tail'; so when I got 'nside da' place wi one a dem ballets, 'n' all dem names ah did'n' know nothin' 'bout; but I 'memb'd what you say, so I jes' caught hole that li'l ole thing 'n' went, bim! ri' unda' da' ole elephant's tail, ya-ha!" The room, for a time, resounded with laughter. Just then, Wyeth heard someone rap at the street door, enter, and presently the counting and the clink of coins came to his ears. Then the door closed, and a moment later, retreating foot steps were heard in the hall-way. It was the lieutenant. And now the gurgle of throats could be heard plainly, and the game was resumed, with Jackson in charge.