THE TROTTING-nORSE OF AMERICA. 187 



or Uie little horse's hind-legs, and he had to pay forfeit. 

 At fir<^t it was feared that he would break down if put in 

 strong work again ; but the leg got better, and he came back 

 to me. After some little time, but still that same season, 

 wo matched him against Confidence ; Kipton to pull a wagon, 

 and the former to go in harness, mile heats, three in five, 

 for $1,000 a side, on the Beacon Course. It will be re- 

 membered that Mr. Berry declared that some time before, 

 at the close of a race in which we beat Confidence and 

 Lady Suffolk with Ripton, that Confidence should not trot 

 with the little horse in harness again. So we agreed to 

 pull a wagon. 



The natch came off on a fine fall day in September, and 

 there was a very large attendance. Everybody was pleased 

 to see the old and well-tried favorite, Ripton, on the course 

 again, and able to contend for the specie. He was not in 

 the best of fix, though ; for he still had a game leg, which 

 made it a dangerous race for him, to say nothing of his 

 going to wagon while Confidence was in harness. But, for 

 all that, the people laid odds on him ; and Jack Harrison, 

 who had made the match, backed him for a large amount. 

 Prior to the start, he and Mr. Moore gave me instructions 

 how to drive the race. My own opinion differed from theirs ; 

 but finding them very confident, and obstinate in their 

 notions, I started out to do as they said. It was upon the 

 old principle and maxim of the sailor, " Obey orders, if it 

 breaks owners ! " The result was not favorable. Confi- 

 dence won the first heat in 2m. 35^s., and the next in 2m. 

 o7s. Everybody now thought it was as good as over ; and 

 the long odds of one hundred to five on Confidence were 

 freely oftered, and no takers. At the close of the second heat, 

 I remarked to Mr. Moore and Jack Harrison that their 

 method did not seem to answer. " Well," said they, 

 " you've no chance to win it now, so do as you please." 



But there was a chance, and I knew it. The first thmg 

 1 did was to change the wagon. The one I had been driv 



