122 CANADIAN TUEF RECOLLECTIONS 



was to hand over to them the pool-room keepers of the 

 East, to be shorn as close as any sheep that ever left the 

 shearer's hands. 



The chosen six were obligated to bet a large amount 

 and cut the winnings in half, sharing with the New 

 Orleans party, and large though the sum was that was 

 to be invested, it was on hand ready for instant use as 

 soon as the signal came to cut loose. That signal came 

 on a Thursday morning to be ready to play a certain 

 horse in the sixth race on Friday. With the silent 

 alacrity of the historic Arab of the desert, the chosen six 

 disappeared from their usual haunts ; it was as if a great 

 hole had suddenly opened up and they had dropped in. 

 With the subtle instinct of a Hawkshaw one or two of 

 them started from suburban stations fearful that the keen 

 scent of some suspicious one would unearth their little 

 game. Friday noon saw them ready primed for their 

 deadly work at Albany, New York and Buffalo, one old 

 reliable being left in Montreal to attend to the local shop. 

 Whether that old reliable leaked, or whether one of the 

 six conspirators, before leaving whispered the secret to 

 Tom and he had bleated to Jack and the latter dropped 

 it to Dick, deponent knoweth not, but sure it was that on 

 Friday morning mysterious hints were dropped by wise 

 men and other cunning ones passed it round to their 

 chosen chums, and in the local pool room there was a hum 

 of suppressed excitement all afternoon. 



At last when the odds went up on the sixth race, one 

 would have thought a bunch of Texan steers had broken 

 loose, the way they jumped to the front, fearful that 

 something might happen to prevent their hands getting 

 into the jam pot. Men who usually wager a couple of 

 dollars were betting twenties, and the fellows who occa- 

 sionally loosen up and gamble five each way, were throw- 

 ing in fifties and hundreds and every mother's son of 

 them was down on Merry Day. So here was the long- 

 prepared, anxiously-expected slick one revealed at last. 

 Curly Brown's skilful hands were said to have put the 

 last finishing bloom on the peach. The horse had been 



