But of course there were mitigations.

Since walking was slow and awkward, Casey sat.

And since he was not a man to sit and twiddle thumbs to pass the time, Casey played poker.

That is how he explained it afterwards.

He had not intended to play poker for twenty-four hours, but tie up a man's leg so he can't walk, and he's got to do _something_.
Wherefore Casey played,--and did not win back what he had lost earlier in the day.