better follow him. "I'm going to back that sorrel gelding, that won
yesterday in the free-for-all to-day," said he to Stubb and Arab, "and
if you boys go in with me, we'll make a killing."

"You can lose your money on a horse race too quick to suit me,"
replied Stubb. "I prefer to stick to poker; but you go ahead and win
all you can, for spring is a long ways off yet."

"My observation of you as a poker player, my dear Stubby, is that you
generally play the first hand to win and all the rest to get even."

They used up considerable time scoring for the free-for-all running
race Christmas Day, during which delay Baugh not only got all his
money bet, but his watch and a new overcoat. The race went off with
the usual dash, when there were no more bets in sight; and when it
ended Baugh buttoned up the top button of his coat, pulled his
hat down over his eyes, and walked back from the race track in a
meditative state of mind, to meet Stubb and Arab Ab.

"When I gamble and lose I never howl," said Baugh to his friends, "but
I do love a run for my money, though I didn't have any more chance
to-day than a rabbit. I'll take my hat off to the man that got it,
however, and charge it up to my tuition account."

"You big chump, you! if you hadn't bet your overcoat it wouldn't be so
bad. What possessed you to bet it?" asked Stubb, half reprovingly.

"Oh, hell, I'll not need it. It's not going to be a very cold winter,
nohow," replied Baugh, as he threw up one eye toward the warm sun.
"We need exercise. Let's walk back to town. Now, this is a little