96 THE LIFE OP A KACEIIOliSE. 



nefarious an act.' They always speak tlie very same words," 

 said Tiny Pippin, gloomily. " It saves 'em trouble, I suppose. 

 Well, what follows ? Why, they badgers me about this 'party. 

 They twist me round, shake me like a dusty rubber, turn me 

 upside down, inside out, and, at last, maldng notliin' out of 

 nothin', tell me to go about my business." 



Tiny Pippin heaved as deep a sigh as was ever drawn from the 

 precincts of the lowest button on the waistcoat of a stable-boy. 



" I shall be told to go about my business," resumed he, " but 

 where shall I find it % Every stable '11 be shut against me ; 

 nobody '11 give me a mount, and to get a crust I shall have to 

 take to touting. I don't mean to say," continued Tiny, with 

 the knuckles of his fore-fingers acting like centre-bits in the 

 angles of his eyes, " that all touts are innercent turned-off lads, 

 or ever was such ; but most of 'em took to the trade from 

 misfortune or somethin' wuss. It's squash now, not i:)umpkin 

 for me !" added my little attendant and once triumphant jockey, 

 with the tears fairly streaming down his cheeks. '•' Say what I 

 will, I shan't be believed. The 'oss has been got at, and that's 

 enough for 'em to svv^ear the boy was in the swim. Oh, crikey, 

 what shall I do r' 



"Eh?" sharply resiDonded a voice, as Tom Shybird made 

 a hurried appearance. " What's the matter with you, eh ? " 



" The 'oss, sir," rejoined Tiny, making a ^dgorous efibrt to 

 stifle the rising lamentation of his woe ; "I think the'o,?s, sir ^" 



" AVho the devil asked you to think about the hoss % " 

 passionately interrupted my trainer. "Begin your work, or 

 I'll waiTQ ye with this stick," and in flourishing the one he 

 shook tlireateningly tov.^ards Tiny Pippin, I received — I believe 

 partly from design — a slight but stinging blow upon the 

 quarters. Faint and dull as I was, the pain made me fly as if 

 I had been shot at, and nobody then seeing me for the first 

 time since I was drugged, could have suspected that I was 

 suffering from the enervating effects of the dose. 



*' Eresh as paint," said Tom Shybird, pretending to be satis- 

 fied with the form in Avhicli he found me. " Eit to run for a king- 

 dom," continued he ; " look alive with him : come, look alive.* 



