A Frenchman, M. Panchaud, was at Ascot Races, and he
there saw the defendant and several other 'gentlemen' betting
away, and apparently winning 'lots of sovereigns,' at one of
these same thimble-rigs. 'Try your luck, gentlemen,' cried the
operator; 'I'll bet any gentleman anything, from half-a-crown to
five sovereigns, that he doesn't name the thimble as covers the
corn!' M. Panchaud betted half-a-crown--won it; betted a
sovereign--won it; betted a second sovereign--LOST it. 'Try your
luck, gentlemen!' cried the operator again, shifting his thimbles
and pepper-corn about the board, here and there and everywhere in
a moment; and this done, he offered M. Panchaud a bet of five
sovereigns that he could not 'name the thimble what covered the
corn.' 'Bet him! Bet him! Why don't you bet him?' said the
defendant (a landlord), nudging M. Panchaud on the elbow; and M.
Panchaud, convinced in his 'own breast' that he knew the right
thimble, said--'I shall betta you five sovereign if you will not
touch de timbles again till I name.' 'Done!' cried the operator;
and M. Panchaud was DONE-- for, laying down his L10 note, it was
caught up by SOMEBODY, the board was upset, the operator and his
friends vanished 'like a flash of lightning,' and M.
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