An Over-reach 343 



And, of course, the reason was good. Jerry, it 

 appeared, bad been standing to watcb tbe race next to 

 an acquaintance, an Irish tatter demaHon, who earned a 

 precarious livebbood on racecourses. 



'Ah ! it was a good thing,' Jerry had muttered, when 

 he saw Beanfeast beaten and his three pounds done 

 for. 



' It wouldn't be so good if I'd been on the second ! ' 

 his Irish friend had mysteriously remarked, and Jerry 

 had naturally inquired what he meant. Thus it came 

 out, indulgence in the favourite spirit of his native land 

 having rendered him incautiously frank. He had recog- 

 nised Hamlet as a horse he had known weh in Ireland ; 

 had taken pains to ask a question or two about the son 

 of Danebury and Gertrude ; and had made up his mind, 

 from what he heard, to interview the owner, and see 

 what he could get for holding his tongue. Jerry, eager 

 to do his patron a turn, and not oblivious, it may be, to 

 reviving hopes of his three pounds, persuaded his friend 

 that he would do better to let the owner of the second 

 know of his discovery ; and one way was as satisfactory 

 as the other to the Irishman with an eye for a horse, 

 who was duly rewarded, and drank his own, and Jerry's, 

 and Harry's, and Beanfeast's health continuously for a 

 month, for the matter was very soon settled — objection 

 sustained — race awarded to Beanfeast. 



Harry was not altogether satisfied, for Hamlet had 

 beaten him so very easily ; but it soon became ajDparent 

 what a really good horse at this game the five-year- old 

 was, and when, soon afterwards, Harry won another 

 race in quite a moderately good little field, he grew more 

 pleased with himself and old Beanfeast. By degrees. 



