Uncle Jim, who had been sitting before the fire, rose as the square bulk of his partner appeared at the doorway with an armful of wood for the evening stove. By that sign he knew it was nine o'clock: for the last six years Uncle Billy had regularly brought in the wood at that hour, and Uncle Jim had as regularly closed the door after him, and set out their single table, containing a greasy pack of cards taken from its drawer, a bottle of whiskey, and two tin drinking-cups. To this was added a ragged memorandum-book and a stick of pencil. The two men drew their stools to the table.
His partner laid down the cards as Uncle Billy extracted from his pocket a pill-box, and, opening it, gravely took a pill. This was clearly an innovation on their regular proceedings, for Uncle Billy was always in perfect health.
“What's this for?” asked Uncle Jim half scornfully.
“You ain't got no ager,” said Uncle Jim, with the assurance of intimate cognizance of his partner's physical condition.
“But it's a pow'ful preventive! Quinine! Saw this box at Riley's store, and laid out a quarter on it. We kin keep it here, comfortable, for evenings. It's mighty soothin' arter a man's done a hard day's work on the river-bar. Take one.”
Uncle Jim gravely took a pill and swallowed it, and handed the box back to his partner.
“We'll leave it on the table, sociable like, in case any of the boys come in,” said Uncle Billy, taking up the cards. “Well. How do we stand?”
Uncle Jim consulted the memorandum-book. “You were owin' me sixty-two thousand dollars on the last game, and the limit's seventy-five thousand!”
“Je whillikins!” ejaculated Uncle Billy. “Let me see.”
He examined the book, feebly attempted to challenge the additions, but with no effect on the total. “We oughter hev made the limit a hundred thousand,” he said seriously; “seventy-five thousand is only triflin' in a game like ours. And you've set down my claim at Angel's?” he continued.
“I allowed you ten thousand dollars for that,” said Uncle Jim, with equal gravity, “and it's a fancy price too.”
The claim in question being an unprospected hillside ten miles distant, which Uncle Jim had never seen, and Uncle Billy had not visited for years, the statement was probably true; nevertheless, Uncle Billy retorted:--