The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 283: what you’re looking at

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

918 . THE STHAM PACKET. . short time the same remark was whispered around with respect to the opponents of those gentlemen, and several bets were made amongst the officers and other bystanders. At length the first game of the rubber terminated in favour of Messieurs Slummers and Bambross; and these gentlemen were in high glee at this auspicious circumstance. The second game commenced, and the players seemed to proceed with remarkable equality until the very end, when a stroke—which some set down to luck, and others to consummate skill—on the part of Captain Pentonville, settled it m favour of his side. The third game, which was to decide the fate of the rubber, now began; and while Messieurs Slummers and Bambross seemed most anxious with respect to the result, the captain and “his lordship ” chatted, laughed, and cracked their jokes as unconcernedly as at first. In a short time Messieurs Slummers and Bambross were eighteen—their antagonists were only twelve. It was, however, Captain Pentonville’s turn to play. “Now, go in and win the game, old fellow,” cried Buckram. “‘T will, my lord—depend upon it,’ was the answer: and, almost simultaneously as he spoke, he made a seven stroke. ‘* Nineteen—eighteen!’’ shouted the marker, Mr. Slummers looked peculiarly blank at Mr. Bambross—and Mr. Bambross looked equally alarmingly upon Mr. Slummers. - ‘* Never mind!” said this gentleman, in a tone which, however, showed that hedzd mind—and a great deal too: ‘‘ he has but the red to play at—and that’s on the spot.” Captain Pentonville placed his own white ball upon the line, levelled his cue, and appeared determined to play with the utmost skill and caution. The stroke was made; Mr. Slummers actually _writhed as the white ball travelled along the board towards the red; and Mr. Bambross gesticulated with his cue in such a way, that Mr. Pifpaf’s right eye had a very narrow escape of being poked out. The captain scored three more. ‘<'T'wenty-two—eighteen !” said the marker. Next time the captain missed his aim. ‘“ Nineteen—twenty-two!” shouted the marker. “ Hooray!” ejaculated Mr. Slummers: ‘‘ the game’s ours now!” He played, and failed to score. ‘Now, my lord!” cried several voices, ‘‘go in and polish them off!” ‘‘T will,” said Buckram; and in another moment he won the game. ‘‘Game and rub!” exclaimed Captain Pentonville. ‘‘'We’ll play you another—double or quits?’’ said Mr. Bambross, while his coadjutor bit his lips, which were white and quivering. Gomicbooks (E(0)