THE GREAT FOUR-MILE DAY. 293 
the little d/ack upon the field, enabled him to start for 
the second heat, procured for him a vast number of un- 
conscious backers, and made him, at the present stage 
of the race, quite a topic of speculation. 
As a matter of course, his comfort came to be pro- 
vided for; and one assiduous groom ventured to scrape 
him down with a thin lath. Whereupon “ Boots,” who 
had never been known to perspire since the last war, 
when he was taken in Canada by the person of whom his 
present owner purchased him; looked around, and not 
being able to recognize the fellow, or divine what on 
earth he was up to, kicked out his left hind leg in evi- 
dent disgust. 
This was the only token of concern in the proceed- 
ings going on, that the pony had given during the day, 
but that, slight as it was, gave great hope to the 
“fielders,” for the other horses, albeit so spry in the 
beginning, had got beyond the kicking point; and sub- 
mitted to the manipulation of their trainers with com- 
mendable, but ominous docility. 
When the interval of rest between the heats had ex- 
pired, “ Boots” alone, seemed qualified for a repetition 
of the preceding exercises. He first made his appear- 
ance at the post, in consequence of his not requiring 
time for saddling. He stood for some moments quietly, 
as usual, with his nose on a parallel with the judges’ 
stand; but as the trainers brought up Lpaminondas 
and Blannerhassett he turned his head sidewise, looked 
