12 



THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



after dawn I had Moonlight saddled, and rode 

 hmi quietly over the ground, which described a 

 large circle round the usual course, the last half- 

 mile being a straight run in past the stand. The 

 distance was about three miles, and the fences 

 w^ould have been considered stiff even in Leices- 

 tershire, whilst the water-jumps were decidedly 

 "yawners." Moonlight cleared his fences like a 

 deer, and his easy, springy action and superb con- 

 dition was all that I could have desired. After 

 breakfast I went to a large marquee near the 

 stand, where a good deal of gambling was going 

 on, and found, to my disgust, that my horse was 

 not even mentioned in the betting, as several well- 

 known performers were entered. So little, indeed, 

 was Moonlight thought of, that the man who drew 

 his number in the lottery the night before sold me 

 his chance for a single gold mohr, which was only 

 half the price of a ticket. However, I was not 

 discouraged, and, in spite of the sneers of the 

 knowing ones, I backed my horse to win 5000 

 rupees, easily getting 25 to 1 . 



Having paid considerable at-tention to my toilet, 



