There would always be enough ready to accept this bet. Having got somebody holding on to the weights, Ben would have a negro, who was trained for the purpose, go around outside of the building, where the ropes came through, and just as the fellow inside had braced himself for the pull, the darkey would give such a jerk as to hurl him back with a good deal more suddenness than was pleasant. Of course the victim had to stand the drinks for the party, and the money went over the bar.
Even a more fruitful source of income than the pulley-weights was the interesting little game known as three-card monte. In this Ben was assisted by Hank Johnson, who could manipulate the pasteboards with surprising skill. Ben acted as a sort of general patron of the game, always sympathizing with the fellows who lost, and frequently putting in money himself to help make up a stake. He felt very sorry to see his rural friends lose their money--very sorry indeed. But for all that, he didn't object to sharing the profits with Johnson. Three-card monte is what Hogan used to call "catching suckers by wholesale," and that was an excellent name for it.
One case, in particular, was most amusing. A highly respectable old chap from Titusville came in one day with a load of fish. After he sold his stock he was introduced to Hank Johnson, who was illustrating the way they used to draft men in the South.
"You see," said Hank, "they would throw down three cards in this manner. Well, if a man could pick out the queen, he wouldn't be drafted; but if he didn't hit the queen, he was a goner!"
"Waal, now, I want teu know if that's the way they did it!" exclaimed the first dealer. "I'll bet if I'd a been down there they wouldn't a drafted me!"
"You think you could have picked out the right card, do you?" asked Johnson, carelessly.
"Think? Why, Lord bless you, I don't think nothin' about it; I _know_ I could!"
"Well, suppose you try it once, just for fun."
Johnson threw down the cards, and, sure enough, the Titusville man picked out the queen.
"You wouldn't want to bet five dollars that you could do it again, would you?" observed Hank, playing with the pasteboards in an unconcerned manner.
"Wouldn't I, now?" said the fish-dealer. "You jest believe I would!"