The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 100: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“I know he has. J was the one to do it,” said Captain Jack. “6 You ?” “Yes, me.” “How ?” « Well, that I will tell you a3 we go along. You must leave this house at once.” “But the furniture—I am not going to leave that behind ?” | “You might as well, it ain’t worth anything,” ‘Worth nothing—what do you mean ?” “Mean this, my boy ; I have sold the house, fur- niture and all.” “You ? why it all belongs to me.” “ Perhaps s0,” said Captain Jack, “but then you see why Fanny ran away with Fumbleton. I knew you would not remain here long, so while you were snoring I bundled off the servants, and sold every- thing.” “ Very polite cf you, certainiy.” “ Oh, don’t mention it—a friend of mine gave me a tempting price for the whole lot, so I took it, of course, being short of money, and as you deserve a trifle on our old account, why of course it’s all right.” “ But it’s all wrong, Where’s the money ?” - “In my pocket,” said Captain Jack, very coolly, “ where it is likely to remain until I want it.” “ And what do you want with me so early in the morning ?” asked Phillip. “Wash yourself, and get out of the house as socen as possible, aud then I'll tell you. There, that will do ; don’t take overmuch pains with yourself—you ain’t going far,” said Captain Jack, with a sinister simile, “ But where to ?” “You'll soon see; but as I was about to say, re- garding Fumbleton ; he’s been after your wife a long time, and you are tlie one to blame, for if you mould introduce her to all the worst sparks in town, why of course you can’t expect her to respect you much.” “You are very kind with your advice this morn- ing,” said Phillip ; “one would almost imagine you had turned parson.” “So I have, when there’s been a hanging going op, and no one near to read the service. But as I was saying about Fumbleton ; he fancies he can play billiards, and so unknown to him I disguised my friend Alick Faulkner, some months ago, and they agreed to make a match for £500 a side. Now, Faulkner and I played a good deal together, but I always beat him, and as Fumbleton always beat me, because I let him, Alick was thought to be a good ‘“‘mark” for the elegant young swell. The number of points in the game was to be 1,000. Gentlemen amateurs who were supposed to have had ‘the straight tip’ were freely staking any odds on Fumbleton, which the “knowing ones,” with Alick as their champion, were eagerly accept- ng. ‘When play commenced in the evening, there was much interest displayed by professionals to watch the game, aud from the superior manner in which the young swell was playing, it was evident he would beat Faulkner his antagonist, with the greatest imaginabie ease. In truth it must be confessed that he threw away many chances where he could have easily“ counted.” But Fumbleton had eo much ofa lead, that he frequently amused himself with making “ fancy shots’’ for bis own, and the amusement of pro- fessional adepts, who loudly applauded him. Towards ten o’clock the game waa half over, and qhe miserable style in which Alick played, brought THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. down very stinging remarks from bystanders, 80 that leaving him more than one hundred pgints in in the rear, out of seven hundred then played, it was agreed to adjourn for the sake of supper and to finish the game afterwards. Fumbleton partook freely of wine, and was all impatience to recommence the game. Alick did not seem at all inclined for more humiliation at the swell’s hands, and to all appear-_ ance returned to the table very reluctantly. The state of the game was apparent to all. Fumbleton was considered to be much too far ahead to be overtaken by Alick, and any cdds were freely offered on him and taken. = But the game suddenly changed in its character. Instead ‘of playing in his former slow and unde- cided style, Mr. Alick hit rapidly, scientifically, and so often, that he materially altered his score, and and was soon close at the heels cf Fumbieton, who opened his eyes widely at this sudden exhibition of his opponent’s skill. “ Never mind,” said he to his friends, “he can’t do it again, you know ; it was ali luck that time, I shall now go in and win with a rush.” Alick had similar ideas also, and gained on Fumbleton so far, that when but fifty points re- mained to be played Alick was but fire-bebind. The chances row began to fluctuate, and Fumble- ton’s friends, being still confident, freely laid odds, which were now eagerly taken. In truth the silly swell liad made euch fine play that but five remained to. complete his score, and make him the winner. The other had twenty-five toget; but these were gotten with so much rapidity that Alick, in enthu- siasm, overran that number, amid the applause of those in the ‘secret,’ but apparently to his own dissatisfaction, for le seemed surprised and annoyed, whispering confidentially, as he pitched his cue and the bridge into the corner, “Tye won, but, upon my sou], Mr. Fumbleton, 1 wasn’t aware of it ; L intended to lose !” This was exceedingly poor consolation to the swell, who sat vacantly locking at the billiard board as one in a trance or dream. It seemed that he considered it %mposszble to be beaten by such an opponent as Alick ! He was mistaken, however, and the best proof of of it was that the money was handed over to Alick that same night, and the swell discovered himself to be minus of nod less than five hundrea pounds out of the six hundred pounds which he had brought to the billiard room with him. “ Who’d a thought,” mused Fumbleton, “that I should have lost in so unaccountable a manner; I am out of luck to-night, that’s it! I can beat two such players ashe is at any time; but you cant play against Zuck!” To console the young swell, the winning parties declared that he was the paragon of players, and hoped be would soon have another’ game, and for a ° larger stake. ‘l'bis latter remark seemed to containa little more irony than Mr. Fumbleton.could bear, so that he flamed into a passion on the instant, and high words arose, Iixcited with wine, and infuriated to find he had been s0 egregiously duped, the swell gave vent to his feelings in unmeasured terms, calling Alick and his frienas a parcel of scheming “ black-legs,” until finding words would avail but little, they handled him roughly. A general fight ensued among the partizans, and the last thing Augustus remembered in his cups was a general row, in which certain persons’ boot-toes rr Nt A tN, micboo (E(0) S) (E(0)