i44 HARK FORRARD! 



Eeginald now felt quite sure tliat Rattrap 

 had been stopped the day before, and deter- 

 mined not to be caught again. 



The betting grew fast and furious at last ; 

 Tittlebat still headed the poll, and there was 

 but little to choose between Independent and 

 Vittoria. The ten runners got away to a 

 capital start, Rattrap at once going to the front. 

 Independent seemed to make very light of his 

 penalty, and pulled harder than Reginald had 

 ever known him before. In fact it was all he 

 could do to steady him at his first two or three 

 fences. Do what he wo aid he had to lie second, 

 and he saw that Tittlebat and Vittoria intended 

 to repeat yesterday's tactics and w^atch each 

 other. Reginald, however, was very wary, and 

 watched Rattrap most carefully. When some 

 eight or ten lengths from the third fence, he 

 saw Wadding look over his shoulder for an in- 

 stant and then set his horse going at the fence, 

 it flashed through Reginald's mind at once 

 that he looked- to see if he was near enough, 

 and finding that he was not, deferred liis little 



