296 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 
diately galloped in every direction over the field, en- 
couraging Jesse to get the descendant of Cuff along; 
straight ahead, the little black held the even tenor of 
his way, whilst ‘“ Blan” would first leave him a rod, 
and then drop back to him, in flickering fits of “ game 
and gravel.” 
At the beginning of the fourth mile, ‘ Boots” was 
well up; on going round the turn he passed “ Blan” a 
neck. (Immense cheering.) In the straight running 
“Blan” again sloped by the pony, but remained satis- 
fied with getting ahead the least bit imaginable. This 
position was maintained to the turn, when “ Boots” 
came alongside, and before entering the quarter stretch, 
drew out a full length in advance, amid deafening shouts 
of “go it, Boots,” “ go it, darkey,” “pop him, sooty,” 
“give him Jesse;” and such like exclamations of dis- 
paraging signification, but used in the most laudatory 
sense of approbation. 
Jesse, unfortunately, in his eagerness to win the 
heat; used his cudgel carelessly, and accidentally gave 
the black a clip on the head, which so “ disgentled ” him 
that he turned almost entirely around before he could 
be checked. In this way, he lost his advantage just as 
he reached the distance stand, and it was well for him 
that. he had got that far, as “ Boots” showed the most 
implacable resentment to such treatment, and tried to 
run in every direction but the right one. 
Indeed he had not before exhibited such spirit; he 
