102 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER 



' The day broke bright and beautiful for the St. 

 Malo Steeplechases, which were held at Parame, a 

 small bourg about a mile from the town. Debenham 

 and myself went over early in the morning to look 

 at the ground, which was about the roughest bit I 

 had seen for some time. The course was to be offi- 

 cially shown by the stewards at twelve o'clock ; but 

 we thought it better to go by ourselves, and take a 

 squint at the place. 



6 After breakfast we ran over to St. Malo to see 

 our friend Captain Willum, who was staying at the 

 Hotel de France. We found that worthy seated on 

 one of the benches in front of the house, smoking an 

 enormous cigar, and, as we had not much time to 

 spare, we begged him to let us know at once about 

 the stirrup-leathers, and what he meant about it. 



" Look here, Britishers," he said, " this old coon 

 has knocked about a little, and I guess I am up to 

 a few things. Now, you must know I can speak 

 French just as well as I can my own language, which 

 air the finest talk in creashun. Wall, I came down 

 here after a charterparty for the vessel, and, know- 

 ing that these races were about to take place, 

 thought I would have a cut in at the fun. I don't 

 let every one know I can speak French, and this 

 time it has served me, and I hope it will you. Per- 

 haps you don't know that all the hosses you ran 

 against yesterday, and most on 'em you will meet 

 to-day, are trained by Englishmen. You ain't got 



