A Question of Bits 13 



the others seemed to hold an absurdly good opinion, to 

 get on the mare which so steadily refused to do what he 

 had bought her to do, his character as a horseman would 

 be to a great extent vindicated, and a man of whom he 

 had conceived a violent jealousy would be humiliated. 

 Moreover, he was convinced that the story of the nurse 

 was a fiction, and that Chippenham had in truth 

 funked. 



' If you think my mare looks so much like jumping, 

 Mr. Chippenham, no doubt you can make her jump. 

 She carried me well enough early in the season, and if 

 you are a horseman, she will probably carry you equally 

 well, though she was awkward yesterday. Look here, 

 I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll bet you a hundred she 

 refuses with you if you ride her next time we are out ; 

 or I'll bet you another hundred you don't get her over 

 the course the point-to-point chase was run across last 

 month ; or — yes, here's an idea — I'll ride you a match. 

 I've got old Crusader at home ; he's just about the mare's 

 form — perhaps a bit worse — it's a very near thing be- 

 tween them. I'll ride you a match for a monkey, if you 

 like. You on my mare that you seem to think so well of.' 



' I don't bet hundreds and monkeys, thanks,' 

 Chippenham answered. ' I only remember your mare 

 when Gates had her, and she was useful then in moderate 

 company. I saw her jump out of a covert yesterday as 

 if she were sound enough.' 



Gates, it should be remarked, is a gentleman rider 

 who trains a few horses for his friends, has a great many 

 of his own, and through whose stables nearly all the 

 second-class chasers on the turf pass during their 

 career. 



' Then let's have some fun,' Lawford, whose idea of 



