BACKERS AND BACKING 167 



Jackson to come along with him." Jackson is 

 obeying instructions. Boanerges is in front. 



*' Sorcery is going well ! " a voice behind 

 Puntington remarks. 



*' So is old Boanerges," some one else says. 



" Yes, I'm not afraid of him," the first speaker 

 replies. " He'll never get the mile." And Flightly 

 turns round, glaring at the unconscious speaker as 

 if resenting a personal insult. 



" Ass ! " he mutters to Puntington. " He'll see 

 directly whether the old horse gets a mile or not ! " 

 But at that moment up goes Jackson's whip. 

 " Sorcery wins ! " the man who doubted the 

 stamina of Boanerges exclaims. " No, by Jove, 

 he doesn't ! What's this thing coming on in red .? 

 Blushing Bride ; and it's winning too ! I never 

 heard its name mentioned." 



There is no doubt about it. Blushing Bride has 

 the race in hand. Sorcery makes a good fight, 

 Piccadilly comes with a rush that has been a 

 second too long delayed, and is only just beaten, 

 Boanerges dropping back rapidly and finishing in 

 the ruck. Flightly says, " Damn ! " and com- 

 presses his lips. It is a sentiment with which 

 Puntington entirely agrees ; and silently, for the 

 reason that there is nothing to be said — the fact 

 that Boanerges does not get a mile being now 



