“How very kind of you. Well, captain, all I can say is, that if I give you this amount, I hope you will use it properly; for I must help young Redgill out of this difficulty. I have sworn it on my oath, and my oath must be fulfilled. How much was the sum you named?” “£2,000.” “Why, just now you said £1,500.” “But I made a great mistake.” “Never mind, never mind; £500 more or less isn’t much in a case of life or death.” So saying, the old man pulled a large wallet of bank notes, and paid Captain Jack the large sum demanded. One would have thought that Captain Jack might have been satisfied with this large amount, and would have gone homewards and fulfilled his engagement with Phillip Redgill. But he did not. The more money he had the more he wanted. Besides this, he had suddenly entertained a deep and deadly hatred against old Gingles for winning his money at cards. He therefore retraced his steps towards the “Bull and Mouth,” and when near the door, who should he espy coming out but Alick, the well-known card-sharp. “Ah! my noble captain; how are you? I was glad to see you had so much spirit in the card-room as to offer to back me in this game, and as I rather like you, I’ll let you into the secret.” “Secret! What is it?” asked Captain Jack, with his ears all cocked ready to receive it. “Well, you see,” said Alick, taking the “noble captain’s” arm; “but come away from the doorway first, there may be listeners. You see this old Gingles is very rich, and passionately fond of cards; he has cart loads of money; where he gets it nobody knows; but, at all events, during the past week, he has won enormous sums at the card-table, and how he does it nobody can find out.” “You don’t mean that?” “I do though. There is a secret about it, and I have found it out.” “What is it?” “All the cards have private marks on the back, which cannot be seen by the naked eye; but his spectacles magnify I have found out, and, therefore, when he looks across the table he can see what cards I hold in my hand.” “Oh! the cunning old devil!” “Yes; isn’t he? But in this game we are going to play to-night I have made a promise that he shan’t be allowed to wear his spectacles.” “Then you are certain to win. What a capital idea.” “Yes, isn’t it? Those gentlemen brought me there to-night to fleece old Gingles.” “But he won from you all the time.” “Yes, true,” said Alick, grinning; “but that was the ‘dodge,’ in order to give him courage.” “I see it all plainly enough now.” “Very well; and now that I have told you this important secret, will you give me shares in your winnings?” “Yes, half.” “Agreed. How much have you?” “Two thousand pounds.” “Well, I will so play that the odds which are on me now shall change on him, and when you think he is winning, do you take up all the odds laid against me.” “I will, and be glad to do it.” “Certainly; why shouldn’t you win a thousand or two as well as he?” “Why not, indeed? and I will, you’ll see.”