106 A SHARP BURST AXD A HARD RUN. 



of all tlie field knew better tliat no horse can sweep 

 the Whissendine unless he has the puff well in him. 



Till within some ten strides of the red surging river, 

 Fairfax held hard, then set him at it straight, that he 

 could neither stop nor swerve, and in w^ent the per- 

 suaders twice ; but he knew too well to raise his whip, 

 and with both hands well down, he charged it as if 

 his name had been *' Thunderbolt." 



The black Smolensko, although half blown, cleared 

 it nobly, but scarce far enough, for the treacherous 

 verge gave way under his hind feet, and he went down, 

 though finding foot-hold in the bank, he recovered, 

 after a heavy lurch, and brought his rider up, cling- 

 ing to him like a bull-dog, though clean out of the sad- 

 dle, and upon his withers. " Moonbeam" had not 

 only cleared it as though it had held no water, but 

 landed high and dry with good four feet to spare, and 

 went on steadily without stint or stumble. All the 

 next flight cleared it cleverly ; but when the loiterers 

 came up^ two or three heavy splashes gave note of wet 

 jackets ; and the leaders learned afterward that it was 

 not wholly without risk and difficulty that three or 

 four horses were got out of their cold bath. 



On the bank several second horses were waiting for 

 their masters ; and to these all eyes were turned wist- 

 fully, for the pace had told more or less on all, and at 

 the pace they were going, it was certain that no 

 horse could stand it many minutes longer. But it so 

 chanced that not one of the party in advance had a 

 horse there, not even Jardinier, who wanted his the 

 most. Goodricke's was there, and Magher's, and 

 those of one or two gallants who were nowhere. But 

 of all the first flight, the boys with the second 

 horses had taken the west end of the gorse, where 

 they found, and were now a mile to windward, and no 

 hope of coming up at all. 



About fifty yards below the spot where they leaped 



