"I've got a book I want to read, and it wasn't possible for me to have a light in quarters, so I came along." He declined all offers of money, and sat down to read the book.

He turned his back to the table, so the light fell on the pages from over his shoulder, and in a short time he seemed too much absorbed in the book to observe anything that was going on.
The game became very warm.

It was without limit, and Hodge lost from the first.

Both Gage and Snell were winning steadily.
Still Merriwell seemed to read on calmly.

But he was not reading a great deal.