154 HINTS TO HOESEMRN ; OB, 



a very bold thing in me to say," said the old hand ; 

 *' but I will tell you what it is, gentlemen : I will," 

 said lie (holding out his hand and moving his fingers 

 as if clutching money), " I will lose with whichever 

 suits you best." The exact fact may be unique, but 

 similar practice is pretty general. 



Such statements as I have made, and they unfor- 

 tunately are but too true, hold out but little induce- 

 ment to any man who regards his character, to venture 

 on steeple- chasing ; for I hesitate not in saying he 

 must, in a general way, rob, or be robbed, if he does. 

 I, of course, allude to his keeping horses for the 

 express purpose of steeple-chasing, and starting them 

 where the stakes are of sufiicient consequence for 

 *'the money to be got on," as relates to the result, 

 be it on the winning or losing tack. This need not, 

 however, prevent a man or gentleman from occasionally 

 taking a chance at it ; for instance, supposing a man 

 to be a hunting one, residing where there are a few 

 steeple-races in his immediate neighbourhood not of 

 consequence enough to challenge the attention or 

 attendance of the steeple-chasing and betting fra- 



