The Mexican had betrayed his trick by his anger at Merry's style of drawing. Writhing with anger, he tossed Frank one card.
Merry leaned forward and watched the Mexican's fingers so closely that Pede was given no chance to perform any crooked work, if he had contemplated it.
"Now we're off," said Frank. "Go ahead and do your betting."
Then he glanced at his cards. He had held up a five spot with his three jacks. To his satisfaction, he found Pede had given him another five spot.
Merry had conceived that it was the Mexican's plan to give him threes and then to fill his hand with a small pair, but to take a pair himself, having on the deal secured threes of a higher denomination than those in Merry's hand. For that very reason, Frank had decided to draw one card, instead of two, thinking to defeat Pede's object in securing a full.
By a strange chance, Frank had held up a five spot, while all the time Pede had been intending to give him a pair of fives. This being the case, the youth secured his full hand just the same, but without the knowledge of the dealer. At the same time, he spoiled Pede's draw, for the pair the Mexican had counted on getting had been divided, he getting instead one of the fives intended for Merriwell. This left Pede with three queens, a five, and a nine.
But the Mexican believed that Merriwell had secured only threes, as he did not dream for an instant that the side card held up with the three jacks could be a five spot.
In case Frank had three jacks only, Pede's three queens were "good."
The next man had failed to improve his hand, and he fell out.
Pede shoved in six dollars, and added another five.
Monte looked his cards over. Then he looked at Pede. He knew the Mexican.
"You oughter be shot!" he said. And he threw his cards down, turning to Frank.
"You ain't got a ghost of a show agin' that greaser, youngster," he averred.
"Well, as long as my money lasts I'll stay with him," smiled Merry.
He did. Having thrust the last of his money into the pot, he finally called.
Pede spread out his three queens, smiling with crafty triumph.
"You no fool me," he said. "My t'ree bigger dan your t'ree. I tak' da mon'."
"Wait a minute," said Merry. "I happen to have more than threes here."