We were on board the steamer _York Town_ one day, when I thought
there were no suckers aboard. I had looked around, and had about
come to the conclusion that we would not make our expenses, when
I saw a large, well-dressed fellow who had his whiskers dyed black
as ink. I got into conversation with him, and we walked around
over the boat, and finally up on the roof. Bob Whitney was at the
wheel, and his partner, Bill Horricks, was with him in the pilot-
house. I knew the boys were all right, so I invited my new
acquaintance to go up, as we could see better than on the roof.
He accepted the invitation, and we were soon enjoying the scenery.
I threw some of my cards on the floor, under the seat. The gentleman
noticed them in a little while, picked them up, and turning to me
he said, "If we had a full deck we could have a game." I told him
I hardly ever played, but I saw a fellow playing a game with three
cards that beat anything I ever saw, but it took a smart one to
play it. I began throwing them, when Bob Whitney got so interested
that he came near letting the boat run away with him. He wanted
to bet me fifty dollars, and he told Bill Horricks to hold the boat
until he could make a bet. I told him I did not understand the
game well enough to bet on it. About this time the capper put in
an appearance, and he wanted to know all about the game. I explained
it, and he made the usual bets. The pilot wanted to bet very bad,
but I kept refusing. Finally my friend with the black whiskers
got worked up to $1,000, and lost it. Then my partner put a mark
on the winner, and beat me out of $1,000. The sucker saw the mark
on the card, and wanted to bet $100. He was sure of winning, but
he did not want to win but $100. So I took his bet, and just as
he was about to turn the card I said, "I will make it $1,000;" but
he only wanted the hundred dollars, and he got it. After winning
the $100, and seeing the mark still on the card, he thought it was
all his way, so he put up $1,000. I saw it was about all he had,
so I put up, and he turned the marked card; but it was not the
winner for $1,000 so much as it had been for $100. He walked out
of the pilot-house and went down on deck. My partner followed him.
After they were gone, Bob Whitney said he would have turned the
same card. Then Bill Horricks laughed, and told him he could hold
a steamboat, but he could not beat Devol at his own game. I went
down to the bar, and there was my black-whiskered friend talking
to my partner. I invited them to join me, which they did, and then
the gentleman said he would like to speak to me a moment. We walked
out on the guards, when he said to me, "I know I am a fool, but I
want to ask you one question, and I want you to be candid with me.
Why did you pick me out from among all the passengers for a sucker?"
"Well," I said, "I will be honest with you; don't you dye your
whiskers?" "Yes," said he. "Well, that is the reason I picked
you out." He said, "I thank you, sir," and walked off.
I went into the cabin and opened up again. I caught a few suckers,
and then closed up monte. I then got out my wheel, and took in
all the pan-fish. After closing up for the evening, I walked into
the bar, and there I met a fine looking smooth-faced gentleman,
who asked me to take a drink, at the same time saying: "Do you
think shaving off my whiskers has improved my looks?" I told him
there was not as much deception in him as there had been in the
card with the pencil mark on it. We took another drink and separated,
I with about $2,000 of his money, and he with the experience.