CHAPTER V 



GABRYOWEN 



Andy Meehan was a jockey who had akeady won 

 Mr French three races. He was a product of the 

 estate and a prodigy, though by no means an 

 infant. 



Nobody knew his age exactly; under five feet, 

 composed mostly of bone with a Httle skin stretched 

 tightly over it, with a face that his cap nearly 

 obhterated, Andy presented a problem in physiol- 

 ogy very difficult of solution. That is to say, in 

 Mr French's words, the more he ate the fighter he 

 grew. In the old days, before ]\Ir French took 

 him into his stable as helper, when food was 

 scarce and AndyhaK starved, he was comparatively 

 fat. Housed and fed well, he waxed thin, and 

 kicked — kicked for a better job, and got it. He 

 was a heaven-born jockey. He possessed hands, 

 knees and head. He was made to go on a horse 

 just as a fimpet is made to go on a rock. Nothing 

 on the ground, he was everything when mounted. 

 He was Insight, Dexterity, Coolness, Courage and 

 Judgment, 



Several owners had tried to lure Andy away from 

 his master. Prospects of good pay and advance- 

 ment, however, had no charm for Andy. French 



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