CHASING AND RACING 173 



I soon " became wise to ** his intentions, when he 

 got his mount edging away to the far side of the course. 

 It was part of his game to lose a couple of lengths at 

 the start. And so it turned out ; but I had no counter- 

 stroke at my command, and I never have been able to 

 decide what I ought to have done under the circum- 

 stances. So here was I left to plough a lonely furrow 

 on the rails, with no opponent in sight, Trelaske was 

 doing an easy half-speed gallop, and not exerting 

 himself in the very least. Invariably he had been 

 allowed to run his own race. He knew — and, for the 

 matter of that. Watts knew well enough — that any 

 attempt on my part to apply pressure would result in a 

 sticking in of toes, or a hurdling demonstration over 

 the rails, by my highly nervous steed. And so we 

 approached the distance, where the accomplished and 

 wily Jack suddenly caught up his obstreperous mount, 

 and before that astonished animal realized what was 

 happening, he was forced into a short but sweet donkey- 

 sprint, which landed him past the post one and a half 

 lengths to the good. 



I had expected this, and had bethought me that, 

 when it happened, I might perhaps counter the move 

 by applying my whip forcibly to my boot, under the 

 impression that such a demonstration in front of 

 The Pusher's frontispiece would cause His Nibs to 

 coil up there and then. 



I did, in fact, take up my flail ; but what was the 

 good, when The Pusher was fifteen yards wide on my 



