BOOKMAKERS AND BOOKMAKING 201 



** Oh ! " I thought. " Not to-day, then, that's 

 all right ! " and I launched out against the animal 

 in question, which, however, won quite comfort- 

 ably. 



Next day I met the owner of the winner, and 

 mentioned to him that his win had hit me rather 

 hard. " I was told you backed seven others," I 

 remarked. 



" I did," he replied, " for other people. I had 

 money to put on for them, and then I backed my 

 own." 



Naturally, too, he got a good price about it, 

 having to do so much for those who had en- 

 trusted him with commissions. My man had not 

 stuck to him long enough ; but I could not blame 

 him, for he seemed to have found out all there 

 was to know. 



The odds ! On these practically everything 

 depends for backer and bookmaker alike, and lots 

 of stories are, needless to say, current on the 

 subject. 



*' What price So-and-so ? " says the punter. 



"That's 2 to I, sir," says the fielder. 



" Oh, rubbish ! Ridiculous ! 2 to i .? That's 

 absurd ! You are a most pernicious pincher ! " 

 the backer replies. 



" Well, sir," says the bookmaker, with an 



