The dark stranger noticed the uncommon yaw of a change in course vibrating through the floorboards of the sallon room, a shift in the rhythm of the water, a change in the angle of shoreshadows, and raised a quizzical brow .

"Aces and jack, my friend, and I'm afraid this pot is mine..."

He raked in the coins and chips mixed on the baize table top and drew a lazy draught of cigar smoke.

"And now, I thank you for your pleasant company sir, but I must attend to other concerns, and put aside the pleasure of the game for the present. Perhaps another hand later?"

Pocketing his winnings, and lifting his swallowtail coat back just a little, just in case, the stranger strides through the salon doors and slips to the shadows of the promenade deck. He watches from the dark as the handsome actor he had noticed earlier wends his way down the companion way to the boarding area, and he notices the hands there readying a ramp. He scans the murky waters, noticing the island bar and recognizing the river bend at New Liberty. He sees the actor move quickly over the lowered ramp and onto the shoal island, two deck boys of sixteen and eighteen following in ragtag denims. They ease out of the pooled lamplight into the dark pine shadows of the island.

The gambler loosens his belt, douses his cigar and makes a quiet, quick way down the companionway to the boarding area, across the ramp and oonto the soft riversand edges of the shoal islet.