THE FIRST STEEPLECHASE 83 



deep. When I found that he intended to wait on me, I 

 knew how to deal with him. Then we came into a dirty 

 lane, with a tremendous fence towards us. I tried the old 

 mare at it ; it knocked her backwards into the ditch, but, 

 without getting a fall, she recovered herself. I said, ' Now 

 Mr Horrocks, you have a try.' We were very friendly all 

 the way. He said, ' No, Jem ; if your old mare can't bore a 

 hole, my horse can't.' So I put her at it — I couldn't help 

 myself — and I got through well ; he attempted, and his 

 horse floundered and he nearly got off, and there he hung. 

 I looked back for my companion when I'd got half a field 

 ahead, and when I saw him in the saddle, and coming full 

 tilt, I eased my mare. We had two miles to go then, up 

 rising ground. I kept pulling, and he kept pressing till he 

 caught me ; bullfinches all the way, but not so big. We 

 got very well over them, and came to a barn. Then there 

 was a very large field down to the last brook. Lord Ducie 

 and all the gentlemen were there. I was a hundred yards 

 ahead when I passed the barn. I knew devilish well that 

 neither of our horses could jump the brook (you know they 

 always laugh at me about the brooks). The gentlemen 

 kept hollering at him, ' Now Horrocks, come along — Jem's 

 beat ! ' and he came down past me at the brook as fast as 

 his horse could go. Believe me, the horse jumped right 

 into the brook, pitched upon his head, and turned with 

 his rump on to the other side, and there he lay. 



" I rode quietly down to the brook. Lord Ducie was 

 there on a fresh horse. He said, 'Jem, Jem, jump it; the 

 mare will bring you over — I'll give you a lead ' ; and over 

 he went, and jumped it beautifully. I pulled up, and 

 sat looking at Mr Horrocks in the brook. It was quite a 

 study. He was standing on the bank, and the bridle came 

 off; he fell backwards bridle and all, and the horse went 

 sideways. 



" Lord Ducie was at me all the time : ' Come, come, Jem ; 

 he'll get out.' I said, ' No, no, my lord ; there's plenty of 

 time.' Then I saw a ditch which led from the brook into 

 the field at the opposite side. I stood as long as I could 

 to let the mare get her wind : the pace had been strong 

 all the way. When I thought she'd had sufficient time, I 



