112 CONFESSIONS OF A HOBSE DEALER. 



his ' bag of bones,' as he calls him, against the mare," 

 said he. 



Traveller." Very well/' 



(Enter Coper.) " Well, will you have a spin for a 

 'fiver?' " said Sam. 



Coper. "Didn't I tell you before that I had no 

 * fivers' to spare ?" 



Sam. " Ah, I knew you were all bounce. Your 

 horse can't trot at all ; indeed, you were never able to 

 buy a trotting horse." 



Coper. " You are very insulting, and to prove to 

 you that you are mistaken, I will match my horse for 

 a 'fiver/ as you call it, against this gentleman's mare 

 a mile in harness." 



Sam. " Agreed ; here's my money ; cover it, and 

 you're on." 



The coper pulled out lots of money, from which he 

 counted five sovereigns, and staked the whole in the 

 hands of the landlord. 



The nags were harnessed, a crowd of people collected, 

 and the match came off, the owners driving from ono 

 mile post to another, as agreed, outside the village ; the 

 coper kept Dusty Eob well in hand, and he lost the 

 race, but not before he had ascertained that he could 

 have gone by the mare at any time. The party ad- 

 journed to the inn ; and, as may be imagined, were in 

 high glee. The drinking and bragging were kept up 

 till a late hour. The coper feigned drunk. The tra- 

 veller was really drunk j so was the butcher. They 



