14 



THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



who recognised me ; and an Irish sergeant roared 

 out, "Sure it's the little black captain that'll show 

 'em the way entirely, for my month's pay." 



After the preliminary canter we took our station, 

 and seven horses came to the post. I kept behind 

 a short distance until I saw that the others were 

 ready, for I wished to keep Moonlight from be- 

 coming excited by the company of other horses. 

 The favourite was a magnificent chesnut Arab that 

 had won several races, but he appeared fretful and 

 impatient, and I remarked that his flanks were 

 white with foam before we started. His rider sat 

 him like a centaur, and I knew, if the race could 

 be gained by horsemanship, where to find the 

 winner. The second favourite was a gray be- 

 longing to a well-known sportsman in the Civil 

 Service, but his rider looked far too heavy, and I 

 did not fear him. The horse that took my fancy 

 was a flea-bitten gcay belonging to a jemedar in 

 the Nizam's service, and had his rider only nursed 

 him properly he would have proved dangerous. 

 An officer of Irregular cavalry rode a celebrated 

 hog-hunter, but he carried too much weight. As 



