Had he yielded at last?
I feared it.

What had he gone below for ?--His bag of coin?
Possibly.

I drew near the door, full of bodings.

It was a-crack, and I glanced in and saw a sight that made me bitterly wish I had given my attention to saving my poor cattle-friend, instead of reading and dreaming my foolish time away.

He was gambling.
Worse still, he was being plied with champagne, and was already showing some effect from it.