THE PROFIT AND LOSS. 9 



She's well in too — 5 yrs. 7st. lib., and just lier distance 

 — two miles and a half— shouldn't wonder to see her wear 

 'em out now, if the leg- don't give. And Sam Mane 

 again, in the old pink and white jacket, going* to ride her ! 



'' How d'ye do, Mr. Mane ?" 



"How do you do, sir? Hope I see you well." 



" Pretty well, thank you. So 3^ou're going to make 

 play with the old mare, I hear?" 



"Why, yes, sir; keep her in front as long as we can." 



And keep her in front he did. First time passed the 

 stand with a clear lead, and going well within 

 hei'self. 



" Ah ! she'll come back to 'em by next time," sneered 

 the even bettors. 



But she didn't, though. "Never reached her at all, 

 sir." Won in a canter by three lengths, and the third 

 beaten half a distance ! 



" Tally-ho !" roared the second Steward as he galloped 

 by our station. "'Tally-ho !" echoed somebody else, 

 quite as loud, though he wasn't a Steward at all ; and then 

 commenced " a scene ' ' round my little carriage, which the 

 Derby homeward reporters would phrase as one "that 

 beggars description." For the first few seconds or so, I 

 felt much inclined to pla}^ Ducrow on the backs of the 

 ponies — y^^ty, I'm sure I can't say. Then I snapt the crop 

 of my whip in endeavouring to send it safe home — how, 

 I'm sure I don't know ; and then up rolled Primeport, 

 the wine merchant, with a couple of champagne bottles in 

 one hand, half-a-dozen glasses neck-and-neck in the other, 

 and the cork-screw "between his teeth. 



"Wish you jo}', old fellow — can't shake hands with 

 you just yet, though. How d'ye do, ladies ? This is 

 pleasant, isn't it ? Happy as queens, I can see." 



