186 A Sportsman at Large 



muscular development. I suppose I acted as a Hoo-doo to 

 my own luck, for both were beaten next time they went to 

 slips, though they were by no means disgraced ; in fact, the 

 bigger one, whom I had registered as High Crawler (as 

 indicating her dam), was very unluckily knocked out. The 

 other High Creeper, unfortunately lamed herself badly. As 

 a measure of compensation, True Token performed brilliantly 

 and divided the All Aged Stakes. 



High Crawler did not run again until The Waterloo Gup, 

 wherein she represented me. In the first ties on the Hill 

 House flat she easily beat a dog which I knew to be a very 

 smart one and which was considered by its connections to be 

 trained to the minute and absolutely fit. 



My bitch had been quoted at the long odds of 1,000 to 3, 

 which I took twice, but her first course had not been carefully 

 studied ; consequently when she went to the slips on The 

 Withens for her second trial 7 to 2 was betted against her. 

 A sudden inspiration to plunge seized me, and I snapped up 

 70 to 20 several times and then 300 to 100 ; operations 

 altogether on a far bigger scale than it was my custom to 

 exploit. Consequently I suffered the pangs of " the needle " 

 whilst the slipper awaited a favourable opportunity to run 

 out. 



But I was soon on good terms with myself, for High Crawler 

 led well, and spun round her opponent, who had no chance 

 with a short running hare. My puppy ended an exceedingly 

 smart course with a clever kill. 



This left her in the last sixteen. The next day she went 

 to slips with China Craze, a very remarkable second season 

 bitch, who, if not actually unbeaten when she came to Altcar, 

 at any rate had run up an extraordinary sequence of courses 

 won. At that time there was a nasty " grip," or filled-in ditch, 

 in the middle of The Lydiate, just where the greyhounds were 

 likely to reach the hare. Loud and deep had been the com- 

 plaints of owners and trainers, but it was not until some 

 years later that the trouble was effectually dealt with. On the 

 present occasion it proved the undoing of High Crawler. It 

 was a grand race to the hare. The bitches were almost neck 

 and neck, but, nearing the fatal grip, mine was showing her 



