CHASING AND RACING 153 



leather. Before the astonished " back-markers " could 

 take in the situation I had a good five lengths lead on the 

 rails. Then they came after me for all they were worth. 

 At the distance we were all level, and I had to ask my 

 old pal to pull out a bit extra. This the gallant little 

 chap did with a will. Then we ran in, fairly locked. 

 I do not think any one but the judge could say with 

 truth and precision which had won, or if it was a dead 

 heat between the three. But I rather fancied that 

 Weasel had it ! My supposition proved correct ; so 

 the second barrel was quite effective and the sportive 

 double clicked. Good egg ! 



It is not often that loo-i is laid in a field oj three ; 

 and still more remarkable is it when the forlorn chance 

 puts his backers (if any) on such particularly luxurious 

 velvet. In fact I can remember only two instances. 

 One when Jolly Sir John won a race at Gatwick at 

 those forlorn odds, when setting back two well-backed 

 opponents ; and the other, in which I took a prominent, 

 but by no means heroic, part. This was at Lewes 

 (always an unlucky course for me). There were three 

 runners in a one and a half mile club welter. I forget 

 the name of one of the trio — ridden by George 

 Lambton. I was steering Trelaske ; whilst the 

 third side of this triangular " duel " was a ragged, 

 unkempt-looking little devil belonging to that genial 

 and optimistic old " sport," Colonel Cumberlege, Joe 

 Miller by name, and ridden by Captain Morris. To 

 use a well-worn aphorism, *' Joe " looked as if he had 



