ague of the swamps was already upon him. He took up his cards one
by one, and as he snatched up the last he groaned. Not a pair!

"Four cards," he whispered hoarsely. Trent dealt them out, looked
at his own hand, and, keeping a pair of queens, took three more
cards. He failed to improve, and threw them upon the floor. With
frantic eagerness Monty grovelled down to see them - then with a
shriek of triumph he threw down a pair of aces.

"Mine!" he said. "I kept an ace and drew another. Give me the
brandy!"

Trent rose up, measured the contents of the bottle with his
forefinger, and poured out half the contents into a horn mug. Monty
stood trembling by.

"Mind," Trent said, "you are a fool to drink it and I am a fool to
let you! You risk your life and mine. Sam has been up and swears
we must clear out to-morrow. What sort of form do you think you'll
be in to walk sixty miles through the swamps and bush, with perhaps
a score of these devils at our heels? Come now, old 'un, be
reasonable."

The veins on the old man's forehead stood out like whipcord.

"I won it," he cried. "Give it me! Give it me, I say."

Trent made no further protest. He walked back to where he had been
lying and recommenced his Patience. Monty drank off the contents
of the tumbler in two long, delicious gulps! Then he flung the horn