104 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER 



Debenham; "it is a clumsily arranged thing, and 

 does not matter a button, as I have two or three 

 sets by me. Now let us go down to the Union, and 

 have a pipe before we start." 



' On entering the smoking-room we found a good 

 many English gentlemen there, talking over the 

 coming steeplechase our chances, &c. One Irish 

 gentleman told us he had lived at St. Servan for 

 some years, and had been in the habit of attending 

 most of the race-meetings about. " You will find," 

 said he, " several English jocks up against you to- 

 day, and some of them nice ruffians. They will try 

 and ride you out, and are up to all sorts of dodges. 

 If I were you I should mention this to the stewards, 

 so that they may be on the qui vive." 



" I'll do so," said Debenham significantly, " and 

 you will hear a little more of these blackguards ; 

 but as you seem to know the tricks of these fellows, 

 it will probably not surprise you. I can assure you 

 we are much obliged for your friendly hint." 



" May I ask," said one of the gentlemen to me, 

 " why you call your horse Saltfish ? " 



" Why," interposed Debenham, " because he is- 

 a good one for a fast day. His first owner, a most 

 capital sportsman, lived near Bath, and both he and 

 Saltfish were well known. The horse was in those 



days a hard puller, and often took old B into grief. 



One day, so the story goes, though I will not vouch 

 for the fact, he went slap into the hounds, and the 



