The Great Dovvnshire Handicap yi 



* Here ! 4 to 1 Puzzle ! 6 to 1 Boatman ! 7 to 1 

 bar two ! ' 



' Do you hear ? 7 to 1 now ! We must go and find 

 Dick, and ask him what it means.' 



Two races had been run, in one of which Chattress, 

 by an extraordinarily well-timed finish, had got the 

 popular light-weight of the day, whose modest merits 

 were absurdly overestimated, into hopeless difficulties, 

 and won easily on a horse that ought to have been as 

 easily beaten ; but he was not riding in the race for which 

 the field was on its way to the post. 



* Halloa ! There's the horse ! ' Cecil exclaimed, as he 

 noticed Fortunatus approaching under Barrick's charge. 

 * Looks well, doesn't he ? Where's Mr. Chattress?' he 

 inquired as Barrick touched his hat. 



^ He was going towards the weighing-room a minute 

 ago, sir,' the lad replied, and continued his round, 

 taking no notice whatever of Hough, who stood to look 

 at the horse as he passed, and was, for his own part, 

 equally reticent with regard to his accomplice. They 

 had met before, and though they had not spoken, a 

 scarcely perceptible nod from Barrick assured Hough 

 that the deed had been done. 



* Ah ! There's Dick ! ' Cecil cried as the famous 

 jockey emerged from the weighing-room, and, seeing the 

 friends, turned and came towards them. 



He, too, looked perplexed. 



' Good morning, Dick ! Very glad to see you. Do 

 you know how they are betting ? ' Cecil hurriedly asked. 

 ' They're offering sevens. The horse is all right, isn't 

 he?' 



' They're offering eights, they tell me, sir,' Dick re- 

 plied. ' But I can't make it out ! He got here all right 



