78 HARK FORRARD! 



' What a fuss you chaps make about time 

 in this country,' said Reginald. 



' So would you if you lived here, my dear 

 fellow. I have seen several horses sold simply 

 because they have broken such and such time 

 with such and such a weight up. Remember, 

 we have not the variety of courses here that 

 you have in England, and so time is reliable ; 

 and in England time is acknowledged as the 

 best test for running and cycling. In fact they 

 are as keen about record breaking there as we 

 are here.' 



' That is quite true,' said Alfred. ' We run 

 our races so differently though in England, that 

 it would be useless to rely on the time test. 

 Look at half the steeplechases — hunters' races 

 especially. I remember once riding a grey 

 mare that I had, a beautiful hunter, quick as 

 lightning at her fences, but could not stay a 

 little bit. I was riding her in a hunters' race 

 at Usseter ; all the other chaps that rode in the 

 race were either young farmers or people who 

 knew very little about racing. Their idea was 



