172 A Good Thixg 



' She's going well, isn't she ? Hawke's stand- 

 ing 50/. to nothing with us. Oh, it's a good thing ! ' 

 Leigh said very quietly to Southey — he could not 

 help talking, but did not want another angry dig in the 

 back. 



' Here they are ! Nothing in it so far ! ' Southey 

 replied, as the pair passed the stand for the first time, 

 having gone rather more than a mile. 



' Now they're coming to the ditch — she's over — so's 

 York,' Leigh cried with exultation, as he noted the mare's 

 jump, but with something of regret as his friend, now a 

 couple of lengths behind, but still going strong and well, 

 landed also. Of course it was all right — a good thing, 

 there could be no doubt about that, but nevertheless it 

 would simplify matters if Fisherman would fall. To all 

 appearance neither was likely to do anything of the sort. 

 There had been no mistake on either side, the nearest 

 approach to one having, indeed, been made by the mare ; 

 for Hawke had driven her hard — little as, to do her 

 justice, she wanted driving — at a big black fence. She 

 had taken off too soon and carried away a good-sized 

 piece of the top ; but she was clever as a cat, and Hawke 

 is the less likely to hustle her again, the observers think, 

 as they take note of the incident. The brook is a very 

 simple business. Both fly it side by side, and gallop on 

 — they are now less than a mile from home, and the 

 pace is strong — towards perhaps the worst fence on the 

 course, a drop which had to be approached rather on the 

 turn. Fisherman is over first by a shade, but the mare 

 is at his quarters, and so immediately afterwards they 

 disappear for a moment or two behind a rise in the down 

 land which hides them from sight. 



' Halloa, York's in front ! ' Leigh cries, as they 



