Hence, the caster always called for his
main; consequently, as he could neither throw one nor seven, let
his chance be what it might, he was sure to win, and he and those
who were in the secret of course always took the odds. The false
dice being concealed in the left hand, the caster took the box
with the fair dice in it in his right hand, and in the act of
shaking it caught the fair dice in his hand, and unperceived
shifted the box empty to his left, from which he dropped the
false dice into the box, which he began to rattle, called his
main seven, and threw. Having won his stake he repeated it as
often as he thought proper. He then caught the false dice in the
same way, shifted the empty box again, and threw till he threw
out, still calling the same main, by which artifice he escaped
suspicion.
Two gambling adventurers would set out with a certain number of
signs and signals. The use of the handkerchief during the game
was the certain evidence of a good hand. The use of the snuff-
box a sign equally indicative of a bad one. An affected cough,
apparently as a natural one, once, twice, three, or four times
repeated, was an assurance of so many honours in hand.
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