WITH HIS RIDING BOYS. 379 



now done, one or tlie other of you might unin- 

 tentionally let slip among your old companions 

 that we had in our stable a better nag or two 

 than the world knew about. Were either of you 

 to have been so unguarded, it would soon have 

 been publicly known, which would have set aside 

 any good we could fairly have done for ourselves. 

 Another thing I want to guard you against is, 

 that when at Newmarket, or any other racing 

 place, or at any racing establishment to which we 

 may go with the horses, never to be taken by 

 surprise by any person whatever that may unex- 

 pectedly come up and talk to you, with a view of 

 drawing you out as to what knowledge you may 

 have with respect to the stables, or as to the pro- 

 perties, either good or bad, of any horse you may 

 look after. Should a person come up to ask you 

 questions on such matters, tell him, what is very 

 likely to be true, that you do not know any thing 

 about the horses in the stables, and then walk away 

 from him. If such person should still persevere with 

 you to obtain his object, and perhaps offer you a 

 bribe, shew him that you are above any such dis- 

 honourable conduct, by looking at him as you 

 have been taught to look at a vicious horse, while 

 attending to his head when he is being scraped 



