100 STABLE SECRETS. 



to the effect of being sole and arbitrary " monarch of all he 

 surveyed." With something like disdain his upper lip curled 

 as he criticised each horse approaching the starting-post, and in 

 u taking stock" of the rival candidates, now drawn together in 

 a compact body, he arrived at the somewhat hasty conclusion 

 that " he should beat them all." 



As the official report declared, "in consequence of the 

 breaking away of several horses, a great deal of time was cut to 

 waste in the endeavour to obtain a level start. At length, 

 however, the praiseworthy efforts of the official were crowned 

 with the most unequivocal success. The flag was lowered to 

 one of the fairest starts ever seen." No ground of complaint, 

 therefore, could exist of being left at the post either by design 

 or accident. 



The "good beginner" again supported the character he 

 possessed of commencing well. Among the first off, Sunshine 

 was seen to carry his colours to the front, occupying, however, 

 that conspicuous position only for a space of time known as a 

 " twinkling." Biding with a strictness to orders which could 

 not be surpassed in the minutest detail, Puffy Doddles pulled 

 his ardent horse back, remembering, with an impression not 

 readily effaced, the emphatic words spoken by Mr. James 

 Sloper just before having "a leg up," that " he was to wait, 

 and come only at the finish." 



Rather more than two-thirds of the two miles, two furlongs, 

 and twenty-eight yards had been accomplished, when the field 

 grew "smaller by degrees and beautifully less." A dozen 

 horses at least, however, were still bearing away in front of 

 Sunshine, who threatened to pull his rider clean out of the 

 saddle unless an immediate compromise was made by being 

 permitted to go nearer the leaders. An interval of a few 

 seconds, and it became patent to all the watchers of the race 

 that Sunshine was going up to the horses in front, and that 

 they must make the pace better without the delay of a 



