32 Phyllis and Ophelia 



CHAPTER III 



The horses were duly boxed, and Sliarpe took his place 

 in his carriage, well supplied with his favourite sporting 

 papers. He perfectly well understood what he had to do. 

 Perhaps it would have been better to have done it before 

 the train started, but, after all, it did not much matter. 

 Before reaching Aldersham the train stopped for five 

 minutes, and, shpping into the box in which Dossie's 

 animals were travelling, he neatly and expeditiously 

 changedthe labels on the twomares' head-stalls, fastening 

 the strings a good bit tighter than Dossie had fastened 

 them. Osborne's groom was waiting at the Aldersham 

 station to take charge of the mare, and she was safely 

 handed over to him ; after which Sharpe returned to his 

 seat, for he was bound for London, in order that he 

 might himself see the so-called Ophelia despatched on 

 her journey across the Channel. A boy was to go with 

 her ; but he was a country lout, more than likely to get 

 into the wrong train unless started on his way and placed 

 under the supervision of the guard. Sharpe had plenty 

 to amuse him, particularly in wondering what Osborne 

 would think when he got on his mare, and what would be 

 the sentiments of backers of Vivandiere and Quick March 

 when they found how far those animals were from their 

 book form in the French race. His sale of the horse, 

 Dobbin by name, to Major Congreve, of Osborne's regi- 

 ment, was a perfectly honci fide transaction. Hearing 

 indirectly that such a horse was wanted, he had negoti- 

 ated the business, and Congreve, who had the most casual 

 ' racecourse acquaintance ' with Mr. Sharpe, had put him 

 on lOOL to nothing if the horse won. 



