BOOKS AND PIGEONS. 155 



more besides, perhaps. Here, Lomax, some peu 

 and ink ! Let's have this down, and done with. 

 Six hundred to four hundred against Jupiter, 

 you bet, and I'll lay you a hundred even on 

 Jupiter against Star of the West ? " 



" If you care to do it. Very well ! " Swaynton 

 repHed ; and with a sneering glance at Stubson, 

 Capper drew from his pocket-book a folded blank 

 cheque, and signing it for the sum he had risked, 

 handed it to Lomax's custody. 



Swaynton, as the only son of a wealthy 

 baronet, was too well known to leave any doubt 

 as to his ability to pay this, for Chipbury, 

 unprecedented bet. 



" You seem more cocksure about it than ever 

 to-day, and yet I'm inclined to have a bet on, 

 for I think Mr. Swaynton's a good judge. I've 

 lost five-and-twenty pound to you this year ; and, 

 dang it ! I'll go for man or mouse. I'll take 

 Star of the West against Jupiter ! " Butters 

 cried. 



''For five and twenty? Done with you," 

 Capper said, booking the bet with a trembling 

 hand, which almost prevented him from writing. 



" And I should like to be in the same boat 

 with you, gentlemen," little Garrett cried. 

 " Oh, dear, dear! I don't know whether I ought 

 to, and it's dead against the system. It's the 



