JAUNTS AND JOTTINGS. 138 



farm), and Mr. Long asked me if he could use our 

 track. Of course I said yes. Donizetti had been 

 well tried to win his race, and I thought I had a 

 fair thing on. But when Mr. Long's Gerard did his 

 go on our track it took the wind out of my sails 

 altogether. It was a great spin, and 1 regarded 

 Gerard as Uttle short of a certainty. As you know, 

 I backed Gerard, and my horse won. Gerard was left 

 at the post. Such is luck. If there had been no 

 flood and Gerard had not left his own place, I should 

 have had a big win.'^ 



It was at Warwick Farm Highborn went forth to 

 victory in some big races, and also to defeat in 

 Carbine's Cup, already alluded to. Penance was 

 quietly looking round his box as I went in, and near 

 to him, Ronda, the second and third in Glenloth's 

 Cup. Penance was a beautiful little horse, but a dire 

 failure. With Eonda the Squire had bad luck, as he 

 went wrong generally at the most critical times. It 

 was always a pleasure to me to glance round 

 Mr. Forrester's stables and farm. 



After the inspection came a hearty meal, and the 

 popping of corks denoted the champagne had been 

 tapped. Then a chat and a smoke on the verandah. 



'^ There were a terrible lot of wild cats about here 

 at one time," said Mr. Forrester ; '' the beggars stole 

 no end of young turkeys and chickens. I offered a 

 pound a piece for their skins, and that soon cleared 



