72 'THE DANEBURY CONFEDERACY: 



Like Messrs. Padwick and Gully, Hill kept many 

 horses at other places than Danebury ; but how 

 many in number, or what they were, it was difficult 

 to ascertain. Tradition speaks of his origin as being 

 a boots at a public-house. It runs thus : ' Mr. Henry 

 Unwell, a racing star of the first magnitude, notwith- 

 standing he was erewhile an under-boots at an hotel 

 in Manchester, and made his way up to town on foot, 

 carrying his furniture — then but a small table and 

 thimble, with a few peas — on his person.' 



The same authority goes on to say that Lord 

 George Bentinck would sooner himself keep on his 

 feet in his own apartments for half a day, than let a 

 fellow like Hill sit down in his presence. From this 

 circumstance we may infer that Hill, like Gully, used 

 to bet for his lordship, and I presume for or against 

 his own horses. However, he soon made money, and 

 was allowed to associate with men quite as particular 

 in the selection of their* company as was Lord George 

 himself ; though it is not unlikely that, in many cases, 

 the association in this way was more from necessity 

 than choice. 



On one occasion Harry Hill was fairly caught and 

 publicly shown up. A Mr. Eayner, of histrionic fame, 

 was, like many men, fond of dabbling in the seductive 

 game of betting, and usually entrusted his commission 

 to Hill, whom he was foolish enough to look upon as 

 ' his friend.' Meeting at the rooms at Newmarket, 

 where bettors most do congregate, Mr. Eayner asked 



