334 ^^ Over-reach 



and all the sporting papers next day, and the weeklies 

 after that ! Men would come up to him in his club and 

 say, ' You won a race at Sanfield, I see.' There it was 

 on the boards of all the clubs at the present moment ! 

 Fellows would read it, and say to each other, ' Hamlet 

 was beaten, I see ; Montague won on his own horse ! ' 

 His trainer, too, must think better of him, and the 

 circumstance that he could not have thought much 

 hitherto had been a standing source of regret to Harry. 

 Winning meant such a lot ! He had a place at last in 

 the Hst of successful riders, and he really did not like to 

 take off the blue and white striped jacket that had been 

 first past the post. 



A battered old hanger-on to racecourses, Jerry 

 Smithers, had for a long time past attached himself to 

 Harry's service, carried his bag to and from the station, 

 and made himself as useful as he knew how, and Harry 

 by no means despised the old man's congratulations. 



' Done it at last, sir, and I'm real glad ! I knowed 

 you would some day if you stuck to it, and you rode a 

 good race home, too, sir. A bit too flurried, if you'll 

 excuse me, sir, when you see him coming to you ; but 

 he's a desperate fellow to be alongside of, is Tomkins, 

 sir.' 



' Thank you, Jerry ; I'm afraid you didn't back 

 me,' Harry replied, half trying to persuade himself 

 that it was in the least likely the old man might have 

 done so. 



' No, sir. 1 didn't have no bet. Things is very bad, 

 sir, and my rheumatics do trouble me so I can't get 

 about as I should like. Missed two weeks, sir ; had to 

 stay abed, and then there's nothing to be picked up.' 



* No nearer to the bird-shop, Jerry ? ' Montague 



