174 EXPERIENCES OF SPORT. 



stable locked, but on looking at our saddles 

 which were in a room close by, we discovered 

 that the stirrup leathers of both had been very 

 finely cut. 



" Don't say a word about this at present," 

 said Debenham. "It is a clumsily arranged 

 thing, and does not matter a button, as I have 

 two or three sets by me. Now let us go down 

 to the Union, and have a pipe before we 

 start." 



On entering the smoking-room, we found a 

 good many English gentlemen there talking 

 over the coming steeple-chases our chances, 

 &c. One Irish gentleman told us he had lived 

 at St. Servan for some years, and had been in 

 the habit of attending most of the race meetings 

 about. 



" You will find," he said, " several English 

 jocks up against you to-day, and some of them 

 nice ruffians. They will try and ride you out, 

 and are up to all sorts of dodges. If I were 

 you I should mention this to the Stewards, 

 so that they may be on the qui vive." 



"I'll do so/' said Debenham significantly, 

 " and you will hear a little more of these black- 



