RACEGOERS AND RACEGOING 283 



after the numbers went up, anxious to watch the 

 market. 



*' How are they betting ? " I asked a bookmaker 

 with whom I did a good deal of business. 



" Two to one on the field, sir," he answered. 

 " They take it freely, too, but I can lay you nine 

 to four." 



" No, I don't want to back the favourite," I 

 replied. " I want a few sovereigns on an outsider. 

 What will you lay me The Ruler ? " 



" Why, that is the favourite, sir. I can lay you 

 six to one bar that," he said, and I was fairly 

 staggered. 



Oh, my 1,000 to 70 four times, what had 

 become of you ! Who would now own the 

 couple of promising yearlings ! Not a creature 

 was supposed to know anything of The Ruler, but 

 everyone knew all about it. Who was riding, by 

 the way ? I actually had not looked, but did so, 

 and found — Matthew ! This was another blow, 

 for I had the poorest opinion of him, and with 

 twenty-three starters all the best jockeys were up. 

 Still, the colt's strong favouritism showed what was 

 thought of him. Others were presently backed ; I 

 managed to get 550 to 200, and a little later, 

 seizing a fortunate moment, I took iio to 40. 

 After a long delay the flag fell ; when I could 



