28 THE BEGINNING. 



with her head down and many a head shook as she 

 passed around the bend, while for the hundredth time 

 some one remembered that 'a fool and his money were 

 soon parted.' Ninety per cent of those who had made 

 the trip to the track wanted to see Nelly Gray's owner 

 defeated, as being a newcomer in the town they looked 

 upon him as an interloper, while Hi and his father be- 

 fore him had been a taxpayer from time out of mind, 

 and while he might not be as smart or as sprucely 

 dressed as those who had been to New York or 

 Buffalo, he knew a thing or two, and don't you for- 

 get it. 



"Talk ran high after the three competitors and the 

 judges in a sleigh to which a pair of running horses 

 were hitched departed for the starting point. Every- 

 body appeared to be for Pepper Duster, while those 

 who had seen the preceding races cracked jokes over 

 the other stars which Nelly Gray's owner had imported 

 to defeat him. After a short wait word came down the 

 line that they were off and by the time that the buz- 

 zing had ceased, the three of them were seen coming 

 around the bend. Pepper Duster was out in front and 

 marching like a drum major, while Nelly Gray and the 

 unknown appeared to be within a couple of lengths of 

 him. There was no change to the finish, Pepper 

 Duster winning by a couple of lengths, amid the 

 huzzas of his enthusiastic admirers. Nelly Gray, to 

 the surprise of every one, never made a break, while 

 Hi was clever enough to see that her driver was only 

 sizing him up and would trim him when he was good 

 and ready. And so it proved, as after nipping him out 

 at the finish in the second and third heats, Nelly Gray 

 was cut loose and made a 'holy show' of old Pepper 



