The Iron Grip

It was only by a fraction of a second that he made the mistake, a mistake that escaped the observation of everybody except Jack. He looked round the table, and presently spotted the decoy duck--a tall, slim young man with whom Dennis had been exchanging friendly glances.

"I'm going to have a plunge," said this youth after the game had been in progress for an hour. "What is the bank, Jackson?"

"A hundred thousand, sir."

The youth looked at Dennis.

"I'll go banko if you'll stand half, Dennis," he said, and Dennis nodded. "Banko," then declared the young man.

"Wait a bit," said a quiet voice. It was Jack who spoke, and the people at the table craned round. He was smiling.

"I'll bet anybody here twenty thousand pounds that the bank's cards are two nines," he drawled; "who'll take me?"

"What the dickens do you mean?"

The big figure of Boolby elbowed a way through the press about the table.

"I mean