按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃We might as well break camp and start back for Dawson；〃 Smoke said； beginning to fold the blankets。
〃I am sorry； Smoke；〃 Joy said。 〃It's all my fault。〃
〃It's all right；〃 he answered。 〃All in the day's work； you know。〃
〃But it's my fault； wholly mine；〃 she persisted。 〃Dad's staked for me down near Discovery； I know。 I'll give you my claim。〃
He shook his head。
〃Shorty；〃 she pleaded。
Shorty shook his head and began to laugh。 It was a colossal laugh。 Chuckles and muffled explosions yielded to hearty roars。
〃It ain't hysterics；〃 he explained； 〃I sure get powerful amused at times； an' this is one of them。〃
His gaze chanced to fall on the gold pan。 He walked over and gravely kicked it； scattering the gold over the landscape。
〃It ain't ourn；〃 he said。 〃It belongs to the geezer I backed up five hundred feet last night。 An' what gets me is four hundred an' ninety of them feet was to the good 。 。 。 his good。 Come on； Smoke。 Let's start the hike to Dawson。 Though if you're hankerin' to kill me I won't lift a finger to prevent。〃
SHORTY DREAMS。
I。
〃Funny you don't gamble none；〃 Shorty said to Smoke one night in the Elkhorn。 〃Ain't it in your blood？〃
〃It is；〃 Smoke answered。 〃But the statistics are in my head。 I like an even break for my money。〃
All about them； in the huge bar…room； arose the click and rattle and rumble of a dozen games； at which fur…clad； moccasined men tried their luck。 Smoke waved his hand to include them all。
〃Look at them；〃 he said。 〃It's cold mathematics that they will lose more than they win to…night； that the big proportion is losing right now。〃
〃You're sure strong on figgers；〃 Shorty murmured admiringly。 〃An' in the main you're right。 But they's such a thing as facts。 An' one fact is streaks of luck。 They's times when every geezer playin' wins； as I know； for I've sat in in such games an' saw more'n one bank busted。 The only way to win at gamblin' is wait for a hunch that you've got a lucky streak comin' and then to play it to the roof。〃
〃It sounds simple；〃 Smoke criticized。 〃So simple I can't see how men can lose。〃
〃The trouble is；〃 Shorty admitted； 〃that most men gets fooled on their hunches。 On occasion I sure get fooled on mine。 The thing is to try； an' find out。〃
Smoke shook his head。
〃That's a statistic； too； Shorty。 Most men prove wrong on their hunches。〃
〃But don't you ever get one of them streaky feelin's that all you got to do is put your money down an' pick a winner？〃
Smoke laughed。
〃I'm too scared of the percentage against me。 But I'll tell you what； Shorty。 I'll throw a dollar on the 'high card' right now and see if it will buy us a drink。〃
Smoke was edging his way in to the faro table； when Shorty caught his arm。
〃Hold on。 I'm gettin' one of them hunches now。 You put that dollar on roulette。〃
They went over to a roulette table near the bar。
〃Wait till I give the word；〃 Shorty counselled。
〃What number？〃 Smoke asked。
〃Pick it yourself。 But wait till I say let her go。〃
〃You don't mean to say I've got an even chance on that table？〃 Smoke argued。
〃As good as the next geezers。〃
〃But not as good as the bank's。〃
〃Wait and see；〃 Shorty urged。 〃Now！ Let her go！〃
The game…keeper had just sent the little ivory ball whirling around the smooth rim above the revolving； many…slotted wheel。 Smoke； at the lower end of the table； reached over a player； and blindly tossed the dollar。 It slid along the smooth； green cloth and stopped fairly in the centre of '34。'
The ball came to rest； and the game…keeper announced； 〃Thirty…four wins！〃 He swept the table； and alongside of Smoke's dollar； stacked thirty…five dollars。 Smoke drew the money in； and Shorty slapped him on the shoulder。
〃Now； that was the real goods of a hunch； Smoke！ How'd I know it？ There's no tellin'。 I just knew you'd win。 Why； if that dollar of yourn'd fell on any other number it'd won just the same。 When the hunch is right； you just can't help winnin'。〃
〃Suppose it had come 'double nought'？〃 Smoke queried； as they made their way to the bar。
〃Then your dollar'd ben on 'double nought；'〃 was Shorty's answer。 〃They's no gettin' away from it。 A hunch is a hunch。 Here's how。 Come on back to the table。 I got a hunch； after pickin' you for a winner； that I can pick some few numbers myself。〃
〃Are you playing a system？〃 Smoke asked； at the end of ten minutes； when his partner had dropped a hundred dollars。
Shorty shook his head indignantly； as he spread his chips out in the vicinities of '3；' '11；' and '17；' and tossed a spare chip on the 'green。'
〃Hell is sure cluttered with geezers that played systems；〃 he exposited； as the keeper raked the table。
From idly watching； Smoke became fascinated； following closely every detail of the game from the whirling of the ball to the making and the paying of the bets。 He made no plays； however； merely contenting himself with looking on。 Yet so interested was he； that Shorty； announcing that he had had enough； with difficulty drew Smoke away from the table。 The game…keeper returned Shorty the gold sack he had deposited as a credential for playing； and with it went a slip of paper on which was scribbled； 〃Out 。 。 。 350 dollars。〃 Shorty carried the sack and the paper across the room and handed them to the weigher； who sat behind a large pair of gold…scales。 Out of Shorty's sack he weighed 350 dollars； which he poured into the coffer of the house。
〃That hunch of yours was another one of those statistics；〃 Smoke jeered。
〃I had to play it； didn't I； in order to find out？〃 Shorty retorted。 〃I reckon I was crowdin' some just on account of tryin' to convince you they's such a thing as hunches。〃
〃Never mind； Shorty；〃 Smoke laughed。 〃I've got a hunch right now〃
Shorty's eyes sparkled as he cried eagerly： 〃What is it？ Kick in an' play it pronto。〃
〃It's not that kind； Shorty。 Now； what I've got is a hunch that some day I'll work out a system that will beat the spots off that table。〃
〃System！〃 Shorty groaned； then surveyed his partner with a vast pity。 〃Smoke； listen to your side…kicker an' leave system alone。 Systems is sure losers。 They ain't no hunches in systems。〃
〃That's why I like them；〃 Smoke answered。 〃A system is statistical。 When you get the right system you can't lose； and that's the difference between it and a hunch。 You never know when the right hunch is going wrong。〃
〃But I know a lot of systems that went wrong； an' I never seen a system win。〃 Shorty paused and sighed。 〃Look here； Smoke； if you're gettin' cracked on systems this ain't no place for you； an' it's about time we hit the trail again。〃
II。
During the several following weeks； the two partners played at cross purposes。 Smoke was bent on spending his time watching the roulette game in the Elkhorn； while Shorty was equally bent on travelling trail。 At last Smoke put his foot down when a stampede was proposed for two hundred miles down the Yukon。
〃Look here； Shorty；〃 he said； 〃I'm not going。 That trip will take ten days； and before that time I hope to have my system in proper working order。 I could almost win with it now。 What are you dragging me around the country this way for anyway？〃
〃Smoke； I got to take care of you；〃 was Shorty's reply。 〃You're getting nutty。 I'd drag you stampedin' to Jericho or the North Pole if I could keep you away from that table。〃
〃It's all right； Shorty。 But just remember I've reached full man… grown； meat…eating size。 The only dragging you'll do； will be dragging home the dust I'm going to win with that system of mine； and you'll most likely have to do it with a dog…team。〃
Shorty's response was a groan。
〃And I don't want you to be bucking any games on your own；〃 Smoke went on。 〃We're going to divide the winnings； and I'll need all our money to get started。 That system's young yet； and it's liable to trip me for a few falls before I get it lined up。〃
III。
At last； after long hours and days spent at watching the table； the night came when Smoke proclaimed he was ready； and Shorty； glum and pessimistic； with all the seeming of one attending a funeral； accompanied his partner to the Elkhorn。 Smoke bought a stack of chips and stationed himself at the game…keeper's end of the table。 Again and again the ball was whirled and the other players won or lost； but Smoke did not venture a chip。 Shorty waxed impatient。
〃Buck in； buck in；〃 he urged。 〃Let's get this funeral over。 What's the matter？ Got cold feet？〃
Smoke shook his head and waited。 A dozen plays went by； and then； suddenly； he placed ten one…dollar chips on '26。' The number won； and the keeper paid Smoke three hundred and fifty dollars。 A dozen plays went by； twenty plays； and thirty； when Smoke placed ten dollars on '32。' Again he received three hundred and fifty dollars。
〃It's a hunch。〃 Shorty whispered vociferously in his ear。 〃Ride it！ Ride it！〃
Half an hour went by； during which Smoke was inactive； then he placed ten dollars on '34' and won。
〃A hunch！〃 Shorty whispered。
〃Nothing of the sort；〃 Smoke whispered back。 〃It's the system。 Isn't she a dandy？〃
〃You can't tell me；〃 Shorty contended。 〃Hunches comes in