THE SPOTTED HORSE's STORY. 179 



seemed rather a subject for a nightmare than for 

 the garish light of day. 



" Over the hurdle into the racecourse, and 

 finish. It will be a good meeting ; look how 

 quickly the people are arriving, and there's our 

 carriage — just opposite the stand," Packenham 

 said. " It's time for us to dress for the Handi- 

 cap, though, Dacre," he added, looking at his 

 watch. " See you fellows again presently ; " 

 and they turned aside, while Forester and I 

 made our way up the course to join our party, 

 prominent amongst which I was rejoiced to see 

 Lucy, her sky-blue bonnet contrasting pleasantly 

 with the stern-looking head-gear of her com- 

 panion, the squire's sister. 



To be balanced precariously on one leg upon 

 the tire of a wheel is not at all a comfortable 

 position under ordinary circumstances ; but as 

 the carriage was full, and hung high, it was the 

 best point of vantage I could find for talking to 

 Lucy, and from there I saw the first race won 

 by an animal which the squire pointed out to me 

 as having "good hocks right under him" — a 

 position in which I imagined all hocks, good, 

 bad, or indifferent, might invariably be found by 

 people who knew where to look for them and 

 could derive any pleasure from the inspection — 

 and " good arms," a statement for which I was 

 not prepared. 



