74 TALES AND TRAITS OF SPORTING LIFE. 



looking" grey horse making- play, witli a great slashing* 

 brown pulling hard on his quarter j three more in a clus- 

 ter, and white-jacket still in the rear. We shan't see any 

 more of them for some time ; not well, indeed, till they 

 top the hill again for the run home ; while here, in the in- 

 terim, the excitement becomes greater than ever. ^' Three 

 to one against miything, ha?' one — " " Til take six to 

 four I name the winner — " and "I'll lay agen the 

 GREY," of course from my vindictive friend in the suit 



of sables. 



* * * * ~ * 



^^ Here they are again," sings out Sister Anne, from 

 his corner of the Stand ; and Apelles, screwed famously 

 through an unshorn bull -fincher, comes "a stunner" for 

 the brook. There are only three with him, but the black- 

 whiskered hero is one of them, pulling his horse beautifidly 

 together, and certainly looking as well, or better, than 

 anything. Hurrah ! well jumped, by Jupiter ! and Archy 

 is over and away again — " The Weaver's down !" says 

 everybody almost at the same moment : a less interesting- 

 gentleman is nearly out of sight in the full luxury of liis 

 cold bath ; while the chesnut mare is the only other one 

 safely»landed. I hardly dare what to hope ; it is barely 

 a mile from home, and if it is " squared" still 



"The Grey for a Pony !" roars out somebody at my 

 elbow in the voice of a Stentor. "■ The Grey wins, for 

 a Pony. — Bone wi' you. — Yes, I'll do it again — 

 Done wi' you, sir. I'll lay odds on one." 



Conceive my astonishment ! it was my old enemy, the 

 undertaker, who, with an utter disregard for all consis- 

 tency of character and conduct, was now as vehemently 

 supporting my horse as he had just previously been de- 

 crying him. But it is all the way of the world, thought 



