"Are there not some peculiarities about these dice?" asked Sir Rupert, pointing to a pair which Chichester had placed apart from the rest. "Yes--those are _unequal dice_, and are so well made that no one, except a regular sharper, could detect them. They are bigger at one end than the other, and the sixes are placed on the smaller squares, because you must play with these dice to win upon high numbers, which are on those smaller squares. The dice will in nine cases out of ten fall upon the larger squares, and thus show the high numbers uppermost." [Illustration] "And these dice?" enquired the baronet, taking up two others. "Loaded ones," replied Chichester. "These are to throw low; and so the two sides which have got four and five on them are loaded." [Illustration] "How are they loaded?" asked Sir Rupert. "The corner pip of the four side, next to the five side, is bored very neatly to a certain depth: the same is done to the corner pip of the five side, adjoining the four side. Thus the two holes, so bored, meet each other at right angles. One of the holes is covered over with some strong cement: quicksilver is then poured in; and the other hole is covered over with the cement. The spots are blackened; and your dice are ready for use. These being intended to throw low, you must call a main, and take the odds accordingly." "Well," said the baronet, "I think I can now safely say that I know enough of the elements of your grammar to enable me to practise myself. Let us devote half an hour to the working of cards." "The ways of managing the cards," said Chichester, taking up a pack, and shuffling them, "are numerous. These, for instance, are _Longs and Shorts_. All the cards above the eight, are the least thing longer than those below it. I have a machine which was invented on purpose to cut them accurately. Nothing under an eight can be cut, you see, with these cards, lengthways." "And that pack so carefully wrapped up in the paper?" "Oh! these are my _Concaves_ and _Convexes_. All from the two to the seven are cut concave; and all from the eight to the king are cut convex. By cutting the pack breadthways a convex card is cut; by cutting it lengthways, a concave one is secured." [Illustration] "I have often heard of _the bridge_," said Sir Rupert; "what does that mean?" "Oh! _the bridge_ is simply and easily done," replied Chichester, shuffling the pack which he held in his hand. "You see it is nothing but slightly curving a card, and introducing it carelessly into the pack. Shuffle the cards as your opponent will, you are sure to be able to cut the bridged one." [Illustration] "I could do that without study," observed Sir Rupert Harborough. "Is my initiation now complete?"