TOil SHYEIKD. 85 



was on this very day, but at 'a later liour, that my new, very 

 new owner. Slippery Mo, as my attendant designated him, paid 

 me a visit, accompanied by my equally new trainer. It may be 

 as well to state at this stage of my narrative, that my first 

 impression of the latter's worldly condition proved unfortunately 

 too correct ; he was poor, in doubtful credit, and under heavy 

 pecuniary obligations to Slippery Mo. On the verge of bank- 

 ruptcy the Jew kept him there, knowing full well that, for some of 

 his purposes to be served, there was nothing like a desperate man, 



"He's a nish 'un, Tom Shybird," observed my owner, run- 

 ning liis quick, black, snake-like eyes over me ; " but I vish by 

 the prophets he'd been i' the copper before I bought him." 



"Why so?" inquired Tom Shybird, a lean, cadaverous, bilious- 

 looking little man, twisting a piece of hay in his mouth, and 

 glancing with an habitually nervous manner over a shoulder as 

 he spoke. 



" Can't see how I'm to get my monish back," replied Slippery 

 Mo. "He must go for these Michael Stakes; but ve an't got 

 no pull. I daren't stand much on liis vinning, and can't get it 

 made vorth vile to scratch or nobble him. Vish he'd been i' 

 the copper before I bought him," and my owmer rubbed his 

 dextral ear with a fore-finger, as if the desire caused excessive 

 irritation in that organ. 



"With all the dead weight," rejoined my trainer again, looking 

 over a shoulder as if he feared some one might be standing there 

 ready to serve him with a writ, "I think he'll pull through." 



" So do I," quickly responded Slippery Mo, " so do I, or I 

 vouldn't start him. But vith even on Clearwell, and only five 

 to four against our horse, vhat can I do in the vay of betting." 



" Back him at the odds, and lay against Clearwell," retui-ned 

 Tom Shybird. 



" That might do for the Honourable Duckweed Tlatman," 

 grinned the Jew, " or the nice young innocent gent of the name 

 of Green we sometimes meet with ; but it von't suit this stock. 

 ITo, no, Tom," continued he with a shrewd, cunning look; "I 

 von't lay a sixpence against Clearwell unless he's got at, and 

 made as safe as if boiled into broth." 



