"How you expect an old sport like me to bet upon a certainty ?" "Never mind your ethics.

The wager is drink, not money.

In any event we shall have the wine." "Oh, well," says The Frenchman, with a shrug and a droll grimace, "if you insist on paying for a bottle of wine come with me." He took a lighted candle, and together they went back to the ice box.
It was literally filled with diamond backs, and my friend thought he was gone for sure.
"La!" says The Major with triumph, rummaging among the mass of shells with his cane as he held the candle aloft.
"But," says my friend, ready to surrender, yet taking a last chance, "you told me they were dancing the cancan!" The Major picked up a terrapin and turned it over in his hand.

Quite numb and frozen, the animal within made no sign.

Then he stirred the shells about in the box with his cane.