134 CHASING AND RACING 



to being an accessory before the fact to suicide, which 

 is a criminal offence, he would not be denied. I knew 

 he would come to grief at the first fence, as, in fact, he 

 did. Both he and Cossack were playing " Waltz me 

 round, Willie/' among the buttercups and daisies in a 

 flash ; but both came up smiling, and had a go at the 

 next fence, with like results. After that they gave it 

 up as a bad job. 



" Bonnety Bob " expressed himself delighted with 

 his ride ; whilst I was greatly relieved that nothing 

 worse than bruises and strains had supervened. 



For some time Weasel continued his triumphant 

 career, and soon became a sort of public character ; 

 but he met his Waterloo at Northampton. He was 

 not so much to blame as his rider. The fact of the 

 matter is that I was over confident when rounding the 

 bend for home. The old chap was full of running, and 

 so, forgetting what a long, flat " run in " it is, on the 

 boot town course, I left the other six runners too soon, 

 and shot some four lengths ahead. Then Weasel 

 ceased pulling, and proceeded to lob. Stupidly I fell 

 in with his views, and made no effort to keep up full 

 pressure. Only one of the others struggled on, a slow 

 plodder, which gradually overtook us, and, before I 

 could get a real move on again, swept by to win by a 

 length. I was rightly slated for my carelessness ; but 

 I have seen professional jockeys, who should have 

 known better, caught napping in this way, times with- 

 out number. On one such occasion I was a sorry 



