196 RACECOUESE AND COVERT SIDE. 



"Is it very bad?" Wynneiiy presently in- 

 quired, turning from the window, and glancing 

 rather longingly at the breakfast table — for he 

 had a healthy appetite, and hated wasting. 



" Horrid ! " Flutterton rejoined despond- 

 ingly. '' And real bad luck, too — wasn't it ? Do 

 you see anything to-day ? " 



" No ! It seems to me a brute of a card. 

 We will ask Tom when he comes, but I can't 

 see anything. What do yoa think, Atherton ? " 

 Wynnerly said. 



'' Well, I can find two winners, if not three ; 

 but everybody else will be able to find them too. 

 You would have to buy money very dearly, and 

 then they might get upset. Ah ! here's Tom ! " 

 Atherton remarked, as a knock was heard at the 

 door ; and in reply to an invitation to enter, 

 Tom Ball, the famous trainer and jockey, 

 appeared. 



Tom Ball's clear-cut face had a great deal of 

 character about it. Probably he would have 

 made his way in any calling. The keen grey 

 eye, the mouth, firm and good-humoured, spoke 

 of patience and determination ; two valuable 

 qualities in most pursuits. His manner was 

 easy and modest, as he took a chair in obedience 

 to Atherton's invitation, dechned Wynnerly's 

 suggestion of breakfast, but did not refuse the 



