In regard to most of the men who were engaged in the lottery, they had so often done such things before that their consciences had become pretty well seared and hardened. There was one man, however, who decided to take a ticket against considerable opposition that was made to it by the moral sentiments of his heart. This was Maria's brother. He had been confined to his berth most of the voyage, but was now better; and he had been walking up and down the deck with a friend. He looked pale and dejected, however, and seemed still quite feeble.
His friend, whom he called Charles, seeing that they were going on with a lottery near the paddle boxes, proposed that they should both go and buy tickets.
"Come," said he, "Chauncy, that will amuse you."
"Yes, come," said Charles. "Besides, we ought to do our part to assist in entertaining one another."
So saying, Charles led Mr. Chauncy along, and partly by persuasion, and partly by a little gentle force, he made him take out his purse and produce a half sovereign, too. He also subscribed himself, and then drew both the tickets. He gave one of them to Mr. Chauncy, and the other he kept himself; and then the two friends walked away. Mr. Chauncy's ticket was 66, the number immediately below that which Hilbert had drawn.
Mr. Chauncy, being now tired of walking, went to sit down upon one of the settees next to where Hilbert and Rollo had just gone to take a seat. Mr. Chauncy was next to Hilbert. He immediately began to talk with Hilbert about the lottery.
"Have you got a ticket in this lottery?" he asked.
"Yes," said Hilbert; "mine is 267. What is yours?"
"I don't know," said Mr. Chauncy; "I did not observe." As he said this, however, he took his ticket out of his pocket, and said, reading it, "Ninety-nine."
He was holding it wrong side upward, and so it read 99.
"Ho!" said Hilbert, "that will not get the prize. We shall not go 299 miles. I would not exchange mine for yours on any account."
"No," said Mr. Chauncy, "nor would I exchange mine for yours."
"Why?" said Hilbert. "Do you think there is any chance of the ship's making 299?"
"No," replied Mr. Chauncy; "and that is the very reason I like my ticket. If I had yours, I should be afraid I might get the prize."