84 THE LIFE OF A RACEHORSE. 



take it easy while ye can. That's my advice, an' better I don't 

 know to give, or if I did, you should be the first to have it." 



With this friendly remark Tiny Pippin j)laced his back 

 against the crib, with his elbows resting upon the edge, and, 

 crossing a leg, stood gazing at me, in this negligent 2:)Osition, 

 long and silently. 



"I've been put up," at length observed he, "uponafcv/ 

 platters, and won oftener than was expected of me. More than 

 once, ay, or twice either, I picked it out o' the fire, just in the 

 nick o' time to save the fat. I've shown 'm I can ride a bit, 

 and they know it. My weight's a feather, four-stone-three, and 

 at first they didn't like the lead to make up the eight-stone- 

 seven for the Grand Duke Michael Stakes for which you, my 

 lustre, are to go, and I'm — yes, I'm to have the mount. At 

 the Newmarket, First October, next week, I shall scale for my 

 first great event, and if I land ye a winner, what won't they 

 think and say of me ? " 



Tiny Pippin appeared almost overwhelmed with the pleasur- 

 able thought, for he continued repeating, "What won't they 

 think and say of me 1 " with a mechanical movement of his 

 lips which threatened, if not to become permanent, to occupy, 

 at least, a wearisome space of time. At length, however, 

 he managed to overcome the deep emotion, and proceeded in 

 the disclosure of his knowledge of circumstances affecting our 

 common interests. 



"Your owner now, my lustre," resumed Tiny, " isn't a swell 

 as can claim the services of some of our tip-top riders, and not 

 being over pop'lar with the gentlemen o' the turf, why he 

 couldn't manoeuvre so as to get what he Avanted. The con- 

 sequence is that rather than have eight-stone-seven up of 

 human flesh without a head, he prefers four-stone-three with 

 one, and the rest in shot. Ha, my lustre ! " ejaculated he, 

 " your owner doesn't wear a hooked nose for nothing. Slii)pcry 

 Mo knows the thimble particularly likely to hide the pea." 



I now rose leisurely from my caressing bed, and Tiny Pippin 

 at once entered upon tlie active duties of the morning. 



If, unlike my other powers, my memory has not failed, it 



