One night I went out on the steamer _Belle Lee_. She was running
from Memphis to New Orleans. Captain Hicks was the commander, and
a jolly fellow was he. He said to me: "Devol, I never saw a
gambler in the world that I was afraid to play with. I am just as
smart as any of them." I said, "Captain, you will get no game out
of me, as I do not want any of your money." After supper I noticed
the Captain had a man, and they went to his room in the texas. I
opened up and had a fine play at roulette, but it fell off at 12
o'clock, and I closed up. I was sitting in the hall when the
Captain and his man came down. The man said: "Captain, I am
winner; let's have a bottle of wine." They invited me to join
them. The Captain said: "George, I will turn this gentleman over
to you, as I can't beat him." "Well," I said, "Cap, if you can't
beat him, I can't; for you are a better poker player than I am."
Then I winked at the barkeeper, who had a few decks of my cards
that I had put in when I came on board. He knew what I wanted.
I said to the man, "I'll tell you what I will do: I will play one
game of seven-up for a bottle of wine;" as I thought that was the
best way to get him started. He agreed. I said, "Barkeeper, give
us a deck of cards, and we will see who is the lucky man." We
began, cut for deal, and I beat him. I dealt, and I knew every
card in his hand. He had no trumps, and I had the jack alone. He
begged; I gave him one and made four. He dealt, and I made three
on his deal, which put me out. He was as hot as a pepper pod, but
he called for the wine. After we drank it, he said: "I wonder if
you are that lucky at poker; if so, I will try you a little while."
I said, "All right; I think, myself, I am in luck to-night." We
went at it, but he said the limit must be $50. We played until
daylight began to peep through the skylight of the cabin, and I
had to loan him money to defray his expenses. He told the Captain
it was the hardest game he ever struck. He sent me the money I
loaned him by express, and wrote that if he ever met me on the
river again he wanted to be in with my play. It was not long after
that when I met him on the steamer _Natchez_, and we made some big
money together, as he got up some fine games with the planters.
He was known all along the river, and Captain Leathers thought it
strange to see him playing with me; but the gentleman understood
it, for I was always "lucky at poker."