THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



The crowd at the startino--post evinced the interest which 

 this race created, and several opinions were expressed. 



' The young one is a bold man,' said the Prince, ' to attempt 

 to tackle George Burrell, and on a beaten horse.' 



' And to refuse the three pounds ! ' exclaimed a bystander. 



' Bring the young one in handsomely, George,' said a 

 third. 



'They are off! Ha! ha!' exclaimed an old hand on the 

 turf ; ' the young one means to make short work of it.' 



' A short life and a merry (nie,' said another, who had laid 

 7 to 4 against him in fifties. 



' Don't be too sure of that,' exclaimed Lilly ; ' the blood of 

 King Fergus and Herod is no bad cross.' 



' If he can live that pace home,' said one wdio had taken 

 the odds, ' ho will do : the young one seems to know what he 

 is about.' 



In the form in which they .started — the young one taking 

 the lead, followed very closely by Mr. Burrell — did they con- 

 tinue this most interesting and, strange to say, heavy betting- 

 race for the first mile and a half, our hero being observed to 

 keep a steady pull upon his horse, without the least appear- 

 ance of having upset him by the severe play he had made, 

 looking back at his opponent, when a good opportunity pre- 

 sented itself, after the manner of an experienced jockey, and 

 sitting as tight and steady on his saddle as though he and his 

 horse were one. At the last turn of the course, a good half- 

 mile from home, alarm became apparent in those who had 

 backed him to lose, and exclamations such as these were 

 heard : — 



' The young one's hands are down,' says one. 



' Yes, and quiet,' observes another. 



'I'll bet an even hundred on the young one,' roars 

 O'Hara. 



' Done wdth you,' says Lord Marley. 



' I'll bet 6 to 4 on the young one,' roars Nightingale, with 

 a small telescope to his eye ; no one answered. 



' It's all over but shouting,' exclaims Lilly ; ' Antonio's as 

 dead as a hammer.' 



Now, then, for the result. The trainer's figure of speech 

 was not carried out to the letter. Antonio was not dead, and 

 only dead beat. In fact, he was beaten in the first mile, but 



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