"THE DOCTOR DICE-BOX."

It is a common practice, when fair dice are introduced, to have recourse to unfair boxes. A fair box has several rims cut on its inside, and a projecting ridge; and the absence of these, which is ascertained by putting a finger into the interior of it, constitutes an unfair one. But the most destructive box is that called the "Doctor." There is nothing remarkable in the appearance of its outside, but the inside is very differently manufactured. Three-fourths of the internal space at the bottom are filled up, leaving only sufficient room in the centre for the dice, placed flat, to fit into, the portion of the box towards the top gradually becoming enlarged, and the sides made smooth. When the dice are once introduced into this box their position cannot be altered by shaking; they can merely rise up and down, and when thrown out carefully on the table they fall in the same way, with the exposed surface underneath. For example, if two dice are introduced with the five and two uppermost when thrown out, the surface upon which the five and two are marked would be upon the table, the reversed side, which is also five and two, uppermost. Again, if the caster sees six and two uppermost, he would call seven, six and one being on the opposite side. It does not signify what main he calls when using this box, because whatever he throws one time he can throw again; and the only thing he has to guard against is throwing crabs. Neither is there any great difficulty in taking up the dice, to drop them into the box with the proper number uppermost; but in landing them on the table there is a great difficulty, if thrown boldly, for, as is the usual method, they naturally turn over, and the intended effect would be lost; but by what is called "boxing the dice—" that is, merely turning the box, mouth downwards, on the table, and raising it up after the dice are landed—it is secured, and with a certain description of players, with little chance of detection, if not too often had recourse to. Indeed, by way of lulling suspicion, the following finesse is practised: Supposing a six and a four appear to be uppermost in the "Doctor," the sharper, by way of variety, calls seven. He, of course, throws four, and has the odds two to one against him. These he takes to a certain sum, when, after having thrown several times any numbers except seven and four (still taking the odds as he proceeds), he at length places six and four uppermost, when out comes three, and on making four, he wins his main.

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