When Hilbert went back to the paddle box with his half sovereign, it was about eleven o'clock. The observation was to be made at twelve; and the results, both in respect to the observation and the reckoning, were to be calculated immediately afterward. The lottery which the men were making related to the number of miles which the ship would have made during the twenty-four hours. The men were just making up the list of subscribers to the tickets when Hilbert went up to them. He gave his half sovereign to the man who had the list. This man whom they called the Colonel, took the money, saying, "That's right, my lad," and put it in a little leather purse with the other half sovereigns.
"Bobby Livingston," said the Colonel, writing down the name on his list.
"No," said Hilbert, contemptuously, "not Bobby Livingston. Hilbert Livingston."
"O, never mind," said the Colonel; "it's all the same thing. Bobby means boy."
The plan of the lottery was this: It was generally supposed that the ship's run would be about 270 miles; and it was considered quite certain, as has already been stated, that it would not be more than 280, nor less than 260. So they made twenty tickets, by cutting five of the Colonel's visiting cards into quarters, which tickets were to represent all the numbers from 261 to 280, inclusive. They wrote the numbers upon these cards, omitting, however, the first figure, namely, the 2, in order to save time; for as that figure came in all the numbers, it was considered unnecessary to write it. When the numbers were written thus upon the cards, the cards themselves were all put into a cap[B] and shaken up, and then every one who had paid a half sovereign drew out one, the colonel holding the hat up high all the time, so that no one could see which number he drew. This operation was performed in the midst of jokes and gibes and loud shouts of laughter, which made the whole scene a very merry one. When Hilbert came to draw, the merriment was redoubled. Some called on the Colonel to hold down the cap lower, so that Bob could reach it. Others said that he was sure to get the lucky number, and that there was no chance at all for the rest of them. Others, still, were asking him what he would take for his ticket, or for half of it, quarter of it, and so on. Hilbert was half pleased and half ashamed at being the object of so much coarse notoriety; while Rollo, who had drawn up toward the place, and was looking on from a safe distance as the proceedings that were going on, was very glad that he was not in Hilbert's place.