TOUTING A HEATHEN CHINEE. 91 



touching him up with a pitchfork. Finally I played 

 my last card by saying Del Monte. As soon as 

 Charlie heard it he nodded and said "Goodee, 

 goodee," but as soon as he said it his face again as- 

 sumed its usual blank expression. Taking a piece of 

 chalk I made a ring on the floor and running my 

 finger around it said, "Del Monte." There were 

 more nods from Charlie Sing, but no more comments. 

 That was the limit and I walked down to the dock, 

 while Charlie Sing started up the alley towards his 

 four-tub shop. Touching Splan for my fare up the 

 river I sat down and did not have much heart in 

 the fun that Frank Herdic was making with a fiddle 

 he had taken from the leader of the orchestra. No 

 one paid any attention to me and I was glad they did 

 not, as that dumb Chinaman with money to bet had 

 taken all of the life out of me. 



When the morning selling began I was in the bet- 

 ting ring and waited for Herdic to reach the 2 124 trot. 

 It looked as though it would never come, as there was 

 a load of money going in on Richardson, while the 

 Canadian speculator who made such a killing when 

 Frank Buford won at Rochester, was playing that 

 horse to "beat the band." Herdic's tongue rattled 

 along like a brook over a bed of pebbles, while Jimmy 

 McCrea was taking in the greenbacks at a rate that 

 would soon start a National bank. The Coates family 

 thought Philosee had a chance, while the New Yorkers 

 considered Eph a quantity that required attention. 

 And let me tell you he was a good horse, while with 

 Alta McDonald to drive him meant considerable at 

 the Island, as he knew every foot of the ground and 

 does not ask any odds of anyone when it comes to 



