TIPS FROM STRANGE SOURCES 115 



ruined man if the objection to the winner were upheld. 

 As he was walking down Regent Street a boy thrust a 

 note into his hand and disappeared. It was such a dirty 

 scrawl that the Captain was about to throw it away, when 

 the name attracted his attention, and he read as follows : — 

 " Honnerd Sur, — You did me and my missus a good turn, 

 and I want to do you the same, Runnin' Rein is a him- 

 poster, and he won't get the race. I noes all. Buy all the 

 bets you can on Orlando, and you'll make a fourtin' but no 

 more at present from your humble servant, A. Simmons, 

 formerly your helper at Crick." The Captain recollected 

 that he once had a helper of that name in his stable, and 

 had given him a fiver to get the bailiffs out of his house. 

 Thinking there might be something in the tip, he started 

 for Tattersalls and there bought up all the Orlando bets 

 he could get hold of — people being ready to part with 

 them for a song, and no doubt wondering how any man 

 could be such a fool as to take them at any price. Every- 

 body remembers the story of the Running Rein fraud : how 

 the horse proved to be a four-year-old ; and how Orlando, 

 who came in second, was declared the winner. Well, the 

 upshot was that Captain Osborn pocketed i^i 8,000; 

 and you may be sure he did not forget his faithful old 

 servant, whom he made comfortable for life. 



