88 TJie Course, the Camp, the Chase 



from the winning post, and as by that time he had 

 begun to sober down, I was able to take a steady pull 

 at him between the two last hurdles. Half-way between 

 them. Captain Knox, 14th Hussars, on " Cruiskeen," who 

 had already won twice that spring, at length got up to 

 me, but I had command over " Portal " at last, was able 

 to hold him back to his stride, and kept him back alongside 

 the other. Together we rose at the jump, but Captain 

 Knox had been driving his mare hard to reach us, while 

 the timely pull I had been able to take at " Portal " had 

 allowed him to recover himself. We were quickest away 

 from the hurdle, and won by three-quarters of a length. 

 Before I could stop him, moreover, he galloped on, and 

 ran into the bushes at the Queen's Hotel, a considerable 

 distance beyond the grand stand. On returning to weigh- 

 in, poor little " Driver " Browne was waiting to lead the 

 horse into the paddock. He was a great friend, and 

 having had very bad luck for some time in betting, was 

 most anxious for something really good on which to 

 recover his losses. I had recommended him to back 

 " Fortal," knowing how well the horse was, but he had 

 demurred for a long time, saying that though he liked the 

 horse, he had been told he could not stay. " Can he stay, 

 * Driver ' ? " I asked, bending over as he took the bridle. 

 " Yes, yes," he replied ; " I put £200 on him ! " but I fear 

 he did not get very long odds, for the horse started a hot 

 favourite at 6 to 4 against him. I sold •' Fortal," and he 

 never won again. Soon afterwards poor Captain Browne 

 was, alas ! the victim of a fatal accident at Esher Station, 

 to the sad regret of all who knew him. 



Browne and I were once journeying together to 

 Dover Races, he to ride " Wildfiower," and I to have the 



