THE NOBLE ART OF BACKING WINNERS 207 



racing, and public coursing after driven 

 hares is about as far removed from riding 

 after a brace of greyhounds on your own 

 farm, as the battue from shooting over a 

 brace of well-broken pointers, and walking 

 to your own game. 



One day, in those times of rampant 

 impecuniosity, I had a stroke of luck. 

 I was engaged in the lofty pursuit of 

 driving a hansom and making a tiny 

 S.P. book amongst my pal cabbies, 

 and a gentleman hailed me one night 

 to take to a certain address two real 

 ladies, both of whom had been taking 

 a wee drop more than was good for 

 them. The gentleman rode in the cab 

 too, and what a job we had unloading 

 them ! They got their legs through the 

 spokes of the wheels, and rolled under 

 the horse, which, luckily, was very quiet, 

 as cab-horses sometimes are ; but eventually, 



