CHAPTER XII 



THE LATE KING EDWAED 



Preparations for Second Visit to England — Getting fit — The Yacht 

 and the Horse Belmar — My Brother as a Fighter — Presented to 

 the Prince — His Personal Magnetism — His Wager of ;^2oo — Taking 

 my Tip about Encombe — " \Vhy didn't you take your hat off ? -' — 

 Promise of a Ride in Royal Colours 



I OFTEN talked about England to " Pittsburg Phil," 

 but he never showed any wish to go over, preferring 

 to stay where he knew pretty well all that there was 

 to know. All the same he liked to discuss England 

 and English ways with me, and without any wish to 

 flatter me he used to say that he had always considered 

 that I was about the only rider he knew of at that time 

 who would make a success abroad. Several times he 

 thought of sending a man over, a journalist friend of 

 his, to back my mounts, but it came to nothing. 



Phil did very well over my riding that season — 1898 

 — in the East, for I was in great form, riding two, three, 

 and four winners every day. I kept myself so fit too. 

 I had a boat — we called it a yacht. I named her 

 Belmar, after a horse I had ridden with great success 

 belonging to Phil. I was living at that time in a 

 cottage down at Sheepshead Bay. William Fleisch- 

 man, who was agent for the stable, was nearly always 

 down there with me, and Mr Julius Fleischman, who 

 owned it, would often come and see us. We spent a 

 lot of our time in fishing on the Belmar. And I used 

 to have as much pleasure in sailing the boat as I had 

 in riding the horse it was called after. 



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