A Good Thixg 171 



three modest ponies for himself, and turned away to 

 take his place on one of the coaches, finding himself 

 next to Leigh. 



* Have you laid the odds ? ' the little man asked. 

 'What? Backed the other? Don't be foolish! Look 

 here ' he had lunched early and often, and a combi- 

 nation of champagne and a highly promising bet — 

 though the monkey he had put on had to be shared with 

 Upton and Barnes — greatly excited his never very strong 

 nerves. ' Look here ! The best thing ever known. 

 The mare's a good 21 lb. in front of the other — two stone, 

 by Jove, she must be ; she's a certain jumper ; couldn't 

 fall if she tried ; gallops like blazes, and stays for ever ; 

 and though Bobby York's useful enough, he's a bit 

 behind Hawke, don't you know. It's a thousand to 



three. Look here ! I can tell you just Ugh ! 



Halloa ! Eh ? yes, yes ; where's my cigarette case ? 

 Have a cigarette ? Do ! Blowed if I know where my 

 cigarette case is ! ' 



Upton was just behind him on the coach, and it was 

 a furtive but severe prod in the back from Upton's 

 umbrella that interrupted the flow of Leigh's too confi- 

 dential eloquence. At that moment the flag fell, and a 

 quiet * There they go ! ' uttered by someone on the coach, 

 took the place of the excitable shout of ' They're off ! ' 

 wdiich always follows the start for a flat race. 



Both animals jumped safely and well. Dewdrop led 

 about a length ; and so, steadily but at a good pace, 

 they galloped between the jumps, rising and landing 

 almost simultaneously. It was a left-handed course, 

 and though York did not suppose that Hawke would try 

 to knock him over and so make the good thing a certainty, 

 he lay just a trifle wide — a few feet off to the right. 



