162 HINTS TO horsemen; or, 



were uo trotters iu the wager way, so I denied their 

 pretensions, and it ended in my saying, ''Well, doctor, 

 I will trot the mare you have seen me drive, against 

 either of 5'our horses." ''Done!" said the doctor; 

 " what distance ?" " Any you please to name, for 

 twenty sovereigns." The bet was booked, seven 

 miles. "Now, doctor," said I, "bet me twenty 

 more, and I will give you two hundred yards' start." 

 " Done !" and that was booked. " Now," said I, 

 " I have not done ; bet me ten to five, and I will 

 give you a quarter of a mile." The doctor smiled at 

 my innocency, or fool-hardiness, and booked that also ; 

 but judge his astonishment on my saying, " Now, to 

 close the matter, bet me twenty to five, and I will 

 give you a start of four minutes, which, with your 

 fast horse, must be considered a good mile." He no 

 doubt set me down as gone mad — but the bet was 

 made. 



Two days after, the match came off: about a 

 quarter of a mile from home, I caught him, and in 

 the last hundred yards passed him, winning all my 

 bets. The truth was, his horse could rate about 



