Young Howland felt reluctant, but he could not resist the influence that was around him, and so he consented to finger the cards with the rest.  As they gathered around the table, a half-dollar was laid down by each of the young men, who looked towards Thomas as they did so.

“I cannot play for money,” he said, coloring; for he felt really ashamed to acknowledge his scruples.

“And why not?” asked the friend of Boyd, looking him steadily in the face.

“Because I think it wrong,” stammered out Howland, coloring still more deeply.

“Nonsense!  Isn’t your money your own?  And pray what harm is there in your doing with your own as you please?” urged the tempter.

“But I do not know enough of the game to risk my money.”

“You don’t think we would take advantage of your ignorance?” Boyd said.  “The stake is only to give interest to the game.  I would not give a copper for a game of cards without a stake.  Come, put down your half-dollar, and we’ll promise to pay you back all you loose, if you wish it, until you acquire some skill.”

But Thomas felt reluctant, and hesitated.  Nevertheless, he was debating the matter in his mind seriously, and every moment that reluctance was growing weaker.

“Will you play?” Boyd asked in a decided tone, breaking in upon his debate.

“I had rather not,” Thomas replied, attempting to smile, so as to conciliate his false friends.

“You’re afraid of your money,” said Boyd, in a half-sneering tone.

“It is not that, Boyd.”

“Then what is it, pray?”

“I am afraid it is not right.”

This was answered by a loud laugh from his two friends, which touched Thomas a good deal, and made him feel more ashamed of the scruples that held him back from entering into the temptation.

“Come down with your stake, Howland,” Boyd said, after he had finished his laugh.

The hand of Thomas was in his pocket, and his fingers had grasped the silver coin, yet still he hesitated.

“Will you play, or not?” the friend of Boyd now said, with something of impatience in his tone.  “Say yes, or no.”

For a moment the mind of Thomas became confused—­then the perception came upon him as clear as a sunbeam, that it was wrong to gamble.  He remembered, too, vividly his father’s parting injunction.

“No,” he said, firmly and decidedly.

Both of his companions looked disappointed and angry.

“What did you bring him for?” he heard Boyd’s companion say to him in an under tone, while a frown darkened upon his brow.

The reply did not reach his ear, but he felt that his company was no longer pleasant, and rising, he bade them a formal good-evening, and hurriedly retired.  That little word no had saved him.  The scheme was, to win from him his forty dollars, and then involve him in “debts of honor,” as they are falsely called, which would compel him to draw upon his father for more money, or abstract it from his employer, a system which had been pursued by Boyd, and which was discovered only a week subsequent, when the young man was discharged in disgrace.  It then came out, that he had been for months in secret association with a gambler, and that the two shared together the spoils and peculations.