THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



point, unconnected Math the breeding of them ; Ijut I believe 

 the calculation is not more than one winner in twenty that 

 come to the post, after all charges are paid. I attended a sale 

 of racing colts a short time back. The two-year colts and fillies 

 averaged ninety-three pounds ; the yearlings fifty-seven. Not 

 one of the lot was bred and reared for these several sums. And 

 now, Frank,' resumed Sir John, ' you know you were once 

 nicely diddled by a trainer ; are j^ou certain all has been right 

 throughout with Mr. Lilly and Nameless ? ' 



' I have no reason to think otherwise,' replied Frank. 



' But why did he tell you to wait on your horses in the Welter 

 race,' continued the Baronet, ' when j^ou found out, by experience 

 of your horse in only one race, that stoutness, and not speed, 

 was the best, and that, had you made running, and not waited, 

 you would have won, and cleverly too ? ' 



' He must be a fool,' observed our hero. 



' No fool,' resumed Sir John ; ' his remarks to you on the 

 second day, when he had backed your horse heavily to win, 

 disproves that charge.' 



' Then he is a rogue,' said Raby. 



' I do not go that length,' said Sir John ; ' but it has an 

 awkward appearance, and a burnt child alwa3''s dreads the 

 fire.' 



' Well,' resumed our hero, ' whether fool or rogue, concerns 

 me but little. Before this time to-morrow his bill will be 

 discharged. Nameless will be on the road to Farndon, and my 

 racing career will be at an end. In the first place, I do not 

 understand the system, and I have reason to believe it would 

 cost me a very large sum to learn it. In tlie next, one pursuit 

 of this nature is as much as any man, situated as I am 

 situated, ought to have on his hands at one time ; in my opinion, 

 between hunting and racing there is no difficulty in tlie choice. 

 In the one, every man you meet with is your friend — in the 

 other, your foe ; which a rival either for fame or money must 

 more or less be considered to be. Besides, I am very partial 

 to my coach-box, as well as to the humble but satisfactory 

 pleasures arising from a country life ; and, what is more, one 

 day or another I hope to be a master of fox-hounds. I confess 

 I should like to^ee myself the winner of a Derby, an Oaks, or 

 a St. Leger, because I an^ of opinion that when once a man 

 enters upon any pursuit, he should not stop until he have 



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