182 RACECOUESE AND COVERT SIDE. 



" May I earnestly entreat you to answer me 

 one question, Mr. Forester?" I said. "For 

 whom do you take me for ? " 



"Why, for Charhe Cecil of the 14th, who 

 won the Grand Annual at Chasingford last week, 

 and who has come down here to ride Hugh 

 Welwyn's horse, the Professor, for the Welwyn 

 Cup," he replied. 



I never knew to what an extent cold per- 

 spiration could pour down one's back until that 

 moment. 



" Then there is a ghastly error somewhere," 

 I answered. " My name is Cecil Yernington. 

 I never heard of the Grand Annual, nor of 

 Chasingford ; and the gentleman for whom I 

 was asking last night is not a horse at all, 

 but Gustavus Jerkins, Professor of Palaeon- 

 tology." 



Forester appeared wonder-stricken, and Dacre 

 smiled ; and I began to understand another of 

 Uncle John's jokes. 



" I see now," said Packenham, after a roar of 

 laughter more hearty than polite. " I wondered 

 where Charlie Cecil had been picking up all that 

 about Catullus and the rest of it — •! thought 

 Catullus was a horse, and couldn't remember 

 where he'd run. What a lark! But, I say, 

 what the deuce is to be done ? You must ride 



