122 THE TliOTTINO-nOItSE OF A SI ERICA. 



the course. We started ; and I won it with ease in twu 

 beats, the best being 2.57. 



I very soon had another mount, and this was of more im- 

 portance. Mr. Frank Duffy had at that time a little mare 

 called Lady Kate, that was a good goer. He had gone 

 from Philadelphia to Baltimore, and matched her against 

 time to trot fifteen miles within the hour. This Lady Kato 

 was a handsome little thing, about Flora Temple's size, and 

 a good deal like her in appearance. She was good under 

 saddle ; and the notion prevailed that Mr. Duffy was going 

 to ride her himself. But this was a slight mistake on the 

 part of the backers of Time. The match had been made 

 catch-weight, and Mr. Duffy came on for me and another to 

 ride her. He was very much afraid that one of us would 

 not be able to ride the distance out, and do justice to little 

 Lady Kate. It was on the Central Course, Baltimore ; and 

 Mr. Duffy, with the mare's bridle thrown over his arm and 

 a big saddle on her, was a sight to see, as he led her up and 

 down, and took all the bets that were offered on time. But 

 the backers of the "old devourer" saw another sight prior 

 to the start ; for, just when they had expected Mr. Duffy to 

 mount, I stepped " out of the woods," with a little saddle 

 all ready, and changed it for the heavy one that was on 

 her. 



There was a terrible time among tliose who had laid 

 against Lady Kate ; but they could not deny the fairness of 

 the strategy that had been practised to get bets, and so I 

 mounted without objection. The little mare and I got the 

 word, and away we went as well as could be. On the back- 

 stretch in the eighth mile, Mr. Duffy asked me if I could 

 ride it out without tiring; to which my reply was, that I 

 could ride the little mare the fifteen miles within the hour, 

 and a little more to boot. I was just as easy as I had been 

 from the start, and she was going along in the prettiest 

 winning manner. The other boy's friends, however, were 

 very anxious that ho should have a share of the riding ; ani 



