48 STABLE SECRETS. 



stood in a position denoting a dozy, dreamy mood, between 

 sleeping and waking. 



"You 're a nzzer," resumed Puffy Doddles, "and in fizzing 

 form" — here Puffy' s long-drawn breath hissed between his 

 clenched teeth — " the stable's on, and I am with the stable. 

 There's nothing like being with the stable," continued Sun- 

 shine's attendant ; " nothing like being in the swim. The 

 public — poor rogues ! — stand Catch-me-who-can • but James 

 Sloper, Esquire, I suspect, knows something about the milking 

 game. My eyes, like a kitten's, grow wider as I grow older," 

 concluded Puffy Doddles, with a knowing nod to the Airy 

 Nothing in the corner of the box. " My eyes," repeated he, 

 like a kitten's, "grow wider as I grow older." 



As the sun went down, throwing long dark shadows over 

 the Surrey hills and far away, and the mist rose from brook side 

 and valley, and the bee's humming ceased for the drum of the 

 beetle's wing, Puffy Doddles prepared to retire to rest by 

 stretching himself upon a bundle of clean straw, in a corner of 

 Sunshine's box, but with little hope of peaceful slumber. For 

 be it recollected it was " the eve of the Derby," and Robert 

 Top's best lad had nerves. 



All that could be accomplished for Sunshine's health, com- 

 fort, repose, and happiness, by the prompt attention of his 

 attendant, under the immediate direction of George Spindles, 

 had been observed to the nicest particular. Such was the 

 jealous care that the colt by Glitter, dam Comet, by Falling 

 Star, should not be "got at," that some small live fish had 

 been placed in the water as a preliminary to his drinking it, in 

 order to learn whether subtle poison or injurious drug had been 

 introduced ; for it was known that more than one " great 

 bookmaker " had taken great liberties with Sunshine, and had 

 "peppered" him to such an extent that he must have been 

 regarded by these speculators as " safe as if in the liquid state 

 of broth;" and when "great bookmakers" indulge in great 

 liberties of this description, it becomes a matter of considerable 



