A Good Thixg 177 



able. She's a good mare, that. I tried to pull her mto a 

 fence on the far side, but she scrambled over somehow.' 



'' You 'ad a bit of an easy, though, after the drop 

 fence,' said the other. 



' Yes,' Hawke grins ; ' I didn't hurry very much 

 behind the hill there — I know that place where they 

 can't see you, and it's useful ; but you see I had to make 

 a bit of a show, and the Captain was stopping a lot at 

 the finish. If I'd caught 'im by accident, there'd have 

 been a go ! You don't know who's looking at you, and 

 it don't do to make people think that anything' s wrong. 

 If I hadn't jumped the last fence sideways, though, and 

 made a show of pulling her round again, I shouldn't 'ave 

 known what to 'ave done in the straight.' 



' I see you whacking away at your old boot, and 

 kicking and spurring at nothing,' the other says, with a 

 laugh. 



' Yes, I had to gammon a bit ! ' Hawke rejoins, and 

 •echoes the laugh. ' She's a real nice mare, though. I 

 wish we could get hold of her, and we'd win a race.' 



' Some day or other, when you urns 'aving a go '? " 

 and the friend chuckled. 



' Yes, that's it. But we've done pretty well to-day, 

 too. That was a real good thing ! ' 



