Vandover understood, and, ringing for a bell-boy, ordered up three bottles of soda in siphon bottles.
The game was _vingt et un_, or, as they called it, Van John.

They cut for banker.

Ellis turned the first ace, and Vandover bought the bank from him.

For the first hour they were very jolly, laughing and talking back and forth at each other; the Dummy especially communicative, continually scribbling upon his writing-pad, holding it toward the others.

But it was not necessary for them to put their replies in writing--he understood from watching the movement of their lips.