Springer swallowed once more. “Gee!” he breathed. “I cuc-can’t drop; I’ve got to bet. I make it a white chip.” Shultz and Hooker did some betting that caused Springer’s eyes to bulge. “Great fish-hooks!” spluttered Phil. “You’re a pup-pup-pair of robbers! Guess I’ve been fool enough. I’ll lay down, too.” Shultz gave the player at his left a long, hard look. “I wonder if you’re trying to bluff,” he speculated. “You’ll find out presently,” answered Roy. “I ought to raise it again, but I’m going to call, and here’s my hand. Can you beat it?” “The pot is mine,” said Hooker, spreading out his cards for all to see. “My cards are better.” He reached out with both hands and raked the pile of chips toward him. “Well, of all infernal luck!” snarled Shultz, flinging his cards fiercely down upon the table. “I thought my flush was good. It looks queer to me. You dealt the cards, Hooker.” Instantly Roy bridled. “What do you mean by that? I hope you don’t insinuate that there was anything crooked about that deal? You cut.” “I know I did, but some fellows can——” “Hold on, Charley,” interrupted Osgood. “There’s no one here that’s going to play crooked. You haven’t any right to think such a thing. I was watching, and I’ll guarantee the deal was on the level.” “Oh, well, if you guarantee it——” “You might apologize, Shultz,” said Hooker, his voice hard and his face full of wrath. “Now don’t _you_ fly off the handle, Roy, old fellow,” entreated Osgood. “You see, Charley has had rotten luck, and he didn’t really realize what he was saying. Come on, let’s play the game like gentlemen. You didn’t mean it, did you, Charley?” “No, I guess I didn’t,” said Shultz, with apparent reluctance. “I was half-joking. Forget it, Hooker.” “All right,” agreed Roy readily enough. “That little pot sort of put me on my feet, and I’m not anxious to make a disturbance.” The tension of the moment relaxed somewhat, and the game was resumed, Cooper giving out the cards. Piper was heartily glad that Hooker had won, and he felt that Roy was generous in his willingness to overlook Shultz’s innuendo. He believed that an encounter between the two boys had been narrowly averted. For some ten or fifteen minutes the game went on smoothly, nothing but small hands coming out, which produced little betting. Eventually, however, four “fighting hands” were dealt, and Piper and Springer sat back to watch the others, dropping their cards. There were a number of raises before the draw, in all of which Hooker and Shultz took part. As if they felt that it was to be a serious struggle, none of the players ventured to jest or make many comments. Cooper remained in until the cards were drawn and then he dropped out. Osgood hung on a while longer, although Shultz and Hooker kept raising alternately. “You each took one card,” said Ned at last, “and, as you’re running wild, I’m going to quit. Fight it out between you.” “Will you lend me some money, Ned?” asked Shultz.