28o A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



A good deal of betting on the " H.H.," as it 

 was called by the turfites, had taken place, both 

 previous to the entries and while waiting for the 

 acceptances, and it was known that an occasional 

 1,000 to 10, and three or four times 1,000 to 

 16 had been picked up by some "mugs" about 

 Conspirator, but the so-called "mugs" were men 

 who had been inspired by Saltem. No great 

 move, however, was made by that astute person 

 till the acceptances were declared, and he had 

 seen with whom he had to do battle. 



Burglar, a six-year-old, with 7 st. 4 lb. to carry, 

 who won the rich Covent Garden Cup two years 

 previously and is in the same interest as Con- 

 spirator, is made favourite as soon as the active 

 work of betting begins, whilst Conspirator is 

 quoted at 40 to i offered. 



"Just the thing for us," is the opinion of 

 Saltem, " and now for the commission." 



Sweatmore runs up from the stable to hold a 

 conference with Saltem. In his opinion they 

 have only one horse to fear, and that horse is 

 Diddle-em, an animal not unknown to fame, a 

 five-year-old, weighted at 7 st. " Well, it belongs 

 on the quiet to Job Goodchild, the bookmaker, 

 Diddle-em does," says Saltem, "and we can easily 

 square Job, I think, by letting him in the swim." 



So they agree to do so, and Goodchild being 

 let into the swim, a plan of operation is at once 

 arranged for getting on the money. 



First of all, by means of a little newspaper 

 strategy, Burglar is made a "great pot," as it is 

 called, for the handicap ; " that horse," says one 

 of the sporting prints, " has cleaned out the stable 

 with the greatest ease, and if he can beat 



