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