Bloodgood sat next.  He had two pairs, aces up, and he raised instantly.

Montfort was the next man.  He held a pair of deuces, but he saw all that had been bet, and doubled the amount!

Mr. Slush hesitated a little.  He seemed ready to lay down, but finally braced up and came in, calling.

Hazleton did not accept the call.  He raised again.

Bloodgood looked at his hand and cursed under his breath.  It was just good enough to make him feel that he ought to make another raise, but he began to think there were other good hands out, and it was not possible to tell where continued raising would land him, so he “made good.”

With nothing but a pair of deuces in his hand, Montfort “cracked her up” again for a good round sum.

The hair on the head of Mr. Slush seemed to stand.  He swallowed and looked pale.  Then he “made good.”

Hazleton had his turn again, and he improved it.  For the next few minutes, Montfort and Hazleton had a merry time raising, but neither Slush nor Bloodgood threw up.

“This is where they are sinking the knife in the suckers!” muttered Jack Diamond.

Frank Merriwell said not a word.  His eyes were watching every move.

At last the betting stopped, and Slush picked up the pack to give out the cards.

Hazleton called for two.  He received them, and remained imperturbable.

He had caught nothing with his three nines.

Bloodgood had tumbled to the fact that he was “up against” threes, and he had discarded his pair of low cards, holding only the two aces.  To these he drew a seven and two more aces!

Bloodgood turned pale and then flushed.  He held onto himself with all his strength.  Here was his chance to get back his losings.  Everything was in his favor.  He was confident there were some good hands out, and it was very likely some of them might be improved on the draw, but he felt the pot was the same as his.

The Frenchman drew two cards.

Slush took one.

Then hot work began.  Within three minutes Hazleton, with his three nines, had been driven out.  Bloodgood, Montfort and Slush remained, raising steadily.

There was intense excitement in that room.  The captain of the steamer had come in, and he was looking on.  Some of the spectators were literally shaking with excitement.

Bloodgood’s chips were used up.  He flung money on the table.

All that he had went into the pot, and still he would not call.  He offered his I.O.U.’s, but Mr. Slush declined to agree.

“Money or its equivalent,” said the little man, with such decisiveness that all were astonished.

“I haven’t any money,” protested Bloodgood.

“Then you are out,” said Slush.

“It’s robbery!” cried Bloodgood.

“Why, you can’t kick; you haven’t even called once.”

“Not even once, saire,” purred the Frenchman.