Too Clever 179 



racegoers did not, and after the words quoted had been 

 spoken, and the tramer's glasses, as aforesaid, had been 

 put awa}^ a roar of ' The favourite wins ! Come on. 

 Little Duke ! ' arose from the rings. Little Duke 

 responded to the efforts of his jockey as best he could ; 

 he was game enough, and that is a great quality in these 

 days ; but to win a race speed also is required, and 

 Little Duke's bolt was shot. His rider had up his whip ; 

 a washy chesnut on the rail side was also struggling on 

 under difficulties, and Mr. Moss's bay mare Smeuse, a 

 neck behind, was certainly going the strongest ; for 

 though her jockey was beginning to ride with his hands, 

 he had not yet resorted to any extreme measures. A 

 dozen strides from the post the favourite. Little Duke, 

 and the chesnut w^re being pressed to do all they 

 knew, and the next moment the rider of Smeuse hit 

 his mare once, she responded, and won cleverly by a 

 neck. 



Moss let loose a deep sigh of relief ; he had been 

 watching the struggle breathlessly, in spite of his con- 

 fidence. 



' That's all right ! ' he said to his companion, Cart- 

 wright, turning and making his way through the crowd 

 to meet his mare as she reached the ]3addock. ' I 

 knew it was good, and I haven't won half enough. If 

 I'd only been in luck, I should have had a real good go ; 

 but I had no pluck ! ' 



'Well, old chap, I'm very glad,' Cartwright replied, 

 as they reached the stair and began to descend, ' but I 

 don't know that it's plucky to get out of your depth. 

 She had a bit in hand, all the same.' 



' Oh, yes ; she won in a canter,' Moss responded, 

 which was not quite the fact, nor, indeed, did he suppose 



N 2 



