142 HARK FORRARD. 



* Want to back your liorse, sir ? ' said 

 Charlie Herbert, one of tbe largest bookmakers 

 in the Midlands, to Eeginald as he crossed 

 the paddock the next day. 



' What is his price ? ' he said. 

 ' Five to one, sir.' 



* What's favourite ? ' 



' Tittlebat, sir ; two to one.' 



* That's a short price surely,' said Reginald. 

 ' It is, sir, but Mr. Spratt seems to have an 



unlimited commission to back him. I laid him 

 four hundred, and he has backed him with 

 everyone in the ring. And then you see the 

 horse comes from the Captain's stable, and he 

 don't make mistakes.' 



' You are quite right there,' said Eeginald, 

 ' but from what I could see Vittoria jumped as 

 quick and went as fast yesterday. Besides, in 

 a race with conditions such as these are, we 

 none of us can know anything about the oppo- 

 sition. It is not like a handicap, in which a lot 

 of well-known horses are engaged.' 



* That's true, sir, and I must say that I 



