SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



least a deal ; and at times bets for him. He asked 

 me to back Acrobat [the stable companion of 

 Boiardo] and to lay the latter : as Acrobat was the 

 better. Well, I backed Acrobat for him, and laid 

 Boiardo for him at 3000 to 30. And, of course, I 

 followed suit to a heavier tune. Well, when Lord 

 Derby's lot were tried, Boiardo won easily. Mr. 

 Baily got out of his money, but I couldn't, beyond 

 laying some of my Acrobat money off. Now you 

 see the reason why Da vies is joking with me about 

 having Boiardo money to lay. Still," I went on, 

 " I will lay you an even thousand against the colt, 

 and," suiting the action to the word, "stake the 

 money." 



"No," returned Drinkald, "I'll take you 1000 to 

 800, and never mind about staking." 



This I declined, and we separated, to be always 

 afterwards on a friendly footing. Fortunately, for 

 my interests, Boiardo broke down in the race, and 

 my friend, Mr. " Tubby " Morris's horse. Knight of 

 St. George, won from Ivan, with Arthur Wellesley 

 third. The third would have been a winner for me 

 to a little bit, for I had a wretched book. 



Now, although the stable, on the strength of the 

 trial, went solid for Boiardo, the public would not 

 be stalled off Acrobat, their investments keeping 

 him at 7 to 1. He "ran nowhere," as the saying 



9S 



