“We’ll have another.”

“Won’t that be too much?  I don’t want to get drunk.”

“Two drinks won’t do you any harm.  Very well.  Now let us string for the lead.”

There is no need of describing the game in detail.  Mark was only a novice, while James could really make three or four points to his one.  He restrained himself, however, so that he only beat Mark by two points.

“You did splendidly, Mark,” he said.  “Considering how little you have played, you did remarkably well.  Why, you made a run of three.”

“Yes, I did pretty well,” said Mark, flattered by his companion’s praises.

“I had hard work to beat you, I can tell you that.  As it was, you came within two points of beating.  Don’t you like the game?”

“Very much.”

“I thought you would.  Shall we have another game?”

“I don’t mind,” answered Mark.

He knew that he ought to be in his room writing a composition to be delivered the next day, but such obligations sat easily upon Mark, and he did not hesitate long.

That time James allowed him to score sixteen, so that Mark was only beaten by one point.

“You see, you are improving,” said James.  “I played a better game that time than before, and still you came within one of beating me.”

“I think I shall become a good player in time,” said Mark, complacently.

“Yes, and in a very short time.  Now,” said James, “I have a proposal to make to you.”

“What is it?”

“We’ll bet twenty-five cents on the next game, to give a little interest to it.”

Mark had no special scruples against betting, which is only one form of gambling, but he decidedly objected to losing money, so he answered, cautiously: 

“I don’t know about that.  You beat me both of the other games.”

“That’s true; but you play better now than you did at first.”

“That may be so.”

“What are twenty-five cents, anyway?  I expect to lose it, but it will increase the interest of the game.”

So Mark was persuaded, and the game was played.

James Carson managed to let Mark beat him by five shots, and the latter was correspondingly elated.

“You beat me after all,” said James, pretending to be much disappointed, “and by five points.  I’ll tell you what I’ll do—­I’ll give you the same odds, and bet a dollar on the game.  I suppose it’s foolish, but I’ll risk it!”

“Done!” said Mark, eagerly.

His cupidity was excited, and he felt sure of winning the dollar, as he had the twenty-five cents.  But James had no idea of playing off now, and he played a better game, as he was well able to do.  The result was that Mark was beaten by three points.

He looked quite crestfallen.

“I had better shows than you,” said James.  “I couldn’t do it once in five times.  Will you play again?”

Mark agreed to it with some hesitation, and he was again beaten.