"One minute," said Ben, throwing down the cards, and rising to his feet; "this is a skin game, and you can't touch that money!" "What do you mean?" demanded the Southerner, also rising to his feet, and at the same time turning pale with rage. "Just what I say," answered Ben. "This is a skin game. I was dealt the ace of spades, discarded it, and you show it up in your hand. I demand the right now to go through the cards, and show that there are two aces of spades in the pack." "I'll be damned if you will!" broke in Reddy, jumping to his feet, and at the same time drawing a revolver. "D'ye mean to insult us?" Ben wore an English walking jacket, in the pocket of which he carried his revolver. With one hand resting upon the trusty weapon, he made answer to his antagonists: "I am unarmed, gentlemen, and I trust to your honor not to shoot me." "Oh the devil take your honor," rejoined the Southerner. "You leave that money alone and get out of here, or we'll put a bullet through you before you can wink!" "Yes," chimed in Reddy, "I'm damned if I don't put a bullet through him whether he clears out or not!" Seeing the desperate position in which he was placed, Ben resolved upon desperate measures. Just as Reddy was cocking his pistol, Hogan, by a sharp, quick blow, struck the weapon out of his hand. Then, whipping forth his own revolver, he discharged one bullet at Reddy, and a second at his companion--the latter also having drawn a shooter. The two men dropped to the floor. The third, who was unarmed, attempted to seize one of his confederates' pistol, but Ben threatened to shoot him also if he stirred an inch. Then gathering up the four hundred dollars, our hero passed out of the room, locked the door behind him, and made his way into the street. It did not take him long to get out of Mobile. From the reports which afterward reached him, he learned that none of the gamblers had been killed by his shots. Under the circumstances, he did not trouble his conscience. By easy stages he made his way North, and eventually brought up in Albany. [Illustration: _STEAMER BURNSIDE._] CHAPTER IV. Ben as a Spy in both the Union and Confederate Armies--The Buried Treasure--How he Fooled the Captain--At Port Royal and Newberne--Bounty-Jumping. As already stated, Ben, on his return from the South, made his way to Albany. The work of enlisting soldiers for the war was at this time under full headway. Hogan was by no means ambitious to win fame on the field of battle, but he saw a good chance to make money by going South, and he accordingly went.