142 The Trotter. 



for a year before he came to me, and knew " Old Morgan " well, 

 for he had both ridden and driven him, and he also knew by this 

 what the mare could do. The name of Morgan Rattler was a name 

 of dread around us, and although there were doubtless many trotters 

 in England to beat him, there was not one in our country-side could 

 live with him j and as surely as ever a little cup or trotting sweep- 

 stakes was advertised in our district, so surely did old Morgan put 

 in an appearance and carry it off. 



" And so you think you could have gone by him, sir?" asked the 

 man, after I had finished. 



" Yes, Jem ; but then I don't think much of that, because I'm 

 not so sure that he was doing all he knew." 



" Ah, but you may depend on it he was," answered the shrewd 

 fellow. " You may take your oath Sam was half drunk, or he'd 

 never have let a stranger on the high road get the length of old 

 Morgan for a mile for nothing. I know what Sam is when he's 

 on the spree ; and the old horse is as bad as he is just then. He'd 

 never have let you get to his head if he could have helped it. I 

 wonder he did not try and savage you when you came by his side. 

 I've ridden both horses, now, and I know there's not a deal of 

 difference between them. At catch weights I'd even back the 

 mare j for there's not a boy in the country can ride or drive old 

 Morgan, and a child could hold Patty. If we can only keep this 

 dark, we shall make something of it yet." 



But we could not keep it dark from such a wily old fox as Sam 

 West. By noon the next day he was back again to the turnpike- 

 gate, found out from the old man who kept it who it was that had 

 passed through just after him on the preceding night, and obtained 

 a pretty accurate description of my mare. 



Now, Sam was a man of decision, and drove at once down to our 

 village ; he did not come straight up to me, but put up at the little 

 public-house. I was in the stables, when a message was brought 

 to me that two gentlemen wished to speak to me up at the Rising 

 Sun directly. 



I went down at once. A light cane-bodied gig with remarkably 



