CHASING AND RACING 171 



" Why, Trelaske is a No. I cross between a gamecock 

 and a thoroughbred bulldog in comparison with your 

 quitter ! " 



* The Pusher is a good, honest horse, and pretty 

 smart too," answered he of the Wellingtonian 

 profile ; " but he is unlucky." 



" Unlucky be ! Look here, I'll tell you 



what I'll do with you. I'll back Trelaske against 

 The Pusher for a hundred, one mile, even weights ! " 



Dear old Deacon cogitated. Then, " I'll accept 

 the challenge on one condition." 



" As how ? " 



' That you ride your own, and that I am at liberty 

 to put up any jockey I choose." 



Now, I had been in hopes that the Squire would 

 ride his " thief," and that, though I should then have 

 had to put up a matter of five stone dead weight, I 

 might successfully cope with his equestrian endeavours. 



I had intended making this my stipulation ; but I 

 was piqued by the implied contempt for my jockeyship, 

 so, in an evil moment, I rose to the bait and was firmly 

 hooked. 



Then my sportive old friend launched another 

 condition. Nothing would please him but that the 

 match should be decided at Newmarket. I very much 

 doubted if the stewards of the Jockey Club would fall 

 in with the proposition ; but eventually they did so. 

 I suppose they possessed a strong sense of humour ! 



The great day came, and our show was " at the 



