SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



him of the matter. He ridiculed the action because 

 he knew all the facts. 



"It's nothing, Hodge. If you like, I'll take the 

 miction off your hands for a tenner ? " 



" Do you mean it ? " I asked. 



'* Yes." 



"Well, that'll suit me. Here, old boy, is a tenner 

 — and a clean new one." 



We had a drink over the affair, and Mr. Thorn- 

 hill, pointing to a splendid ham, said, "That's for 

 So-and-So " — one of Mr. Hodgson's solicitors — " and 

 that " — directing his finger to a fat turkey — " is for 

 So-and-So " — the other partner of the legal firm 

 Mr. Hodgson was employing. 



I said, " I don't care how you work it, or what 

 you do. I'm out of it. And a jolly good job. But 

 stay ! suppose I get three months ? " 



" Oh, you'll have to do them. They wouldn't let 

 me ! But there's no fear. Hodge, my boy, it's a 

 walk over." With that I dismissed the matter from 

 my mind, forwarding all correspondence I received 

 to Mr. Thornhill. 



Mr. Hodgson was as persistent in his legal as he 

 had been in his pugilistic business, and in due course 

 — I think in the spring of 1858, just prior to the 

 City and Suburban— my party and myself had all to 

 go to Liverpool. Harry Hill, Harry Dowson, and 



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