“‘And the money that’s in it?’ says Jack, wishing, you see, to make a sure bargain, anyhow.

“‘Ev’ry penny,’ answered the ould chap, ‘if you win it;’ and there’s fifty to one in your favor.’

“By this time the dog had gone into a great fit of laughing at Jack’s sharpness about the money.  ‘The money that’s in it, Jack!’ says he; and he took the pipe out of his mouth, and laughed till he brought on a hard fit of coughing.  ’O, by this and by that says he, ’but that bates Bannagher!  And you’re to get ev’ry penny, you thief o’ the world, if you win it!’ but for all that he seemed to be laughing at something that Jack wasn’t up to.

“At any rate, surely, they palavered Jack betune them until he sot down and consinted.  ‘Well,’ says he, scratching his head, ’why, worse nor lose I can’t, so here goes for one trial at the shiners, any how!’

“‘Now,’ says the obscure gintleman, just whin the first card was in his hand, ready to be laid down, ’you’re to sarve me for a year and a day, if I win; and if I lose, you shall have all the money in the bag.’

“‘Exactly,’ said Jack, and, just as he said the word, he saw the dog putting the pipe in his pocket, and turning his head away, for fraid Jack would see him breaking his sides laughing.  At last, when he got his face sobered, he looks at Jack, and says, ’Surely, Jack, if you win, you must get all the money in the bag; and, upon my reputation, you may build castles in the air with it, you’ll be so rich.’

“This plucked up Jack’s courage a little, and to work they went; and how could it end otherwise than Jack to lose betune two such knowing schamers as they soon turned out to be?  For, what do you think? but, as Jack was beginning the game, the dog tips him a wink—­laying his fore-claw along his nose as before, as much as to say, ’Watch me, and you’ll win’—­turning round, at the same time, and showing Jack a nate little looking-glass, that was set in his oxther, in which Jack saw, dark as it was, the spots of all the other fellow’s cards, as he thought, so that he was cock-sure of bating him.  But they were a pair of downright knaves any how; for Jack, by playing to the cards that he saw in the looking-glass, instead of to them the other held in his hand, lost the game and the money.  In short, he saw that he was blarnied and chated by them both; and when the game was up, he plainly tould them as much.

“‘What?—­you scoundrel!’ says the black fellow, starting up and catching him by the collar; ‘dare you go for to impache my honor?’

“‘Leather him, if he says a word,’ says the dog, running over on his hind-legs, and laying his shut paw upon Jack’s nose.  ’Say another word, you rascal!’ says he, ‘and I’ll down you;’ with this, the ould fellow gives him another shake.

“‘I don’t blame you so much,’ says Jack to him; ’it was the looking-glass that desaved me.  That cur’s nothing but a black leg!’

“‘What looking-glass?—­you knave you!’ says dark-face, giving him a fresh haul.