He had sacrificed his place, doubtless, and risked much beside, and all for nothing.

The third engineer complained of his tardiness in not having relieved him three minutes before, and August went to his duties with a bitter heart.

To a man who is persistent, as August was, defeat of any sort is humiliating.
As for Norman, he bet after this just to show his independence and to show that the money was his own, as well as in the vain hope of winning back what he had lost.

He bet every cent.

Then he lost his watch, and at half-past one o'clock he went to his state-room, stripped of all loose valuables, and sweating great drops.