262 RACING. 



not the less satisfied perhaps that Jie^ also, had been too 

 obviously engaged to attend to other matters, and drawing 

 forth six poimds ten shillings, he laid it on the table, with the 

 remark, ' Now, Humby, I'm thoroughly glad to have sifted all 

 this. I owe you 600/. and we can start fresh ' — saying which, 

 with head erect, and looking neither to right nor left, he 

 marched triumphantly out of the room, while the forlorn book- 

 maker collapsed literally speechless on his chair. 



Memorable from their monstrous absurdity, these and such 

 like w^ere nevertheless more or less isolated cases, and bad 

 though they undoubtedly were, yet were they not altogether so 

 bad as they seem ; for this sort of .game would not bear frequent 

 repetition, and as aforesaid, if a backer absented himself from 

 ' the Corner,' he soon began to be talked about at the Clubs as 

 a defaulter, to lose caste, and to be avoided by his compeers, 

 whereas it is to be feared that in these days the fact of 'being 

 on the slate with the boys ' is too frequently regarded as in the 

 nature of things, and as having no bearing on social status. 



To backers who have, as it were by accident and without 

 malice aforethought, overstepped the limits of prudence and 

 of their tether at their bank, the ring-men have invariably proved 

 themselves kind and forbearing to the last degree, easily assent- 

 ing to reasonable composition, or allowing almost any time for 

 payment in full, once they are assured of the good intentions 

 of the debtor. On such occasions their confidence is seldom 

 misplaced. 



The situation is not unfrequently such as was thus summed 

 up by a well-knowm Baronet to a friend whose ambition had been 

 momentarily larger than his pocket, and who in despair sought 

 advice as to the course to be pursued on the following 

 ]\londay. 



' The question is, do you think it worth w^hile to pay sixty 

 per cent, for the immediate acquaintance of the ring ? That it 

 is has always been my opinion, and on those terms you may 

 probably find the money ; if you don't happen to agree with 

 me, go to your lawyers and begin making arrangements for an 



