cartridges."

Monty made a wry face. "Poker for love, my dear Trent," he said,
"between you and me, would lack all the charm of excitement. It
would be, in fact, monotonous! Let us exercise our ingenuity.
There must be something still of value in our possession.

He relapsed into an affectation of thoughtfulness. Trent watched
him curiously. He knew quite well that his partner was dissembling,
but he scarcely saw to what end. Monty's eyes, moving round the
grass-bound hut, stopped at Trent's knapsack which hung from the
central pole. He uttered a little exclamation.

"I have it," he declared. "The very thing."

"Well!"

"You are pleased to set an altogether fictitious value upon
half bottle of brandy we have left," he said. "Now I tell you what
I will do. In a few months we shall both be rich men. I will play
you for my I 0 U, for fifty pounds, fifty sovereigns, Trent,
against half the contents of that bottle. Come, that is a fair
offer, is it not? How we shall laugh at this in a year or two!
Fifty pounds against a tumblerful - positively there is no more
- a tumblerful of brandy."

He was watching Trent's face all the time, but the younger man gave
no sign. When he had finished, Trent took up the cards, which he
had shuffled for Poker, and dealt them out for Patience. Monty's
eyes were dim with disappointment.