THE DEAD HEAT 129 



course and pick up something flat, and put it into 

 his pocket. " By G — d ! turn out as it will we are 

 saved," he muttered. " I'll lay any money against 

 the mare," he screamed out. But no one took him. 



The wall is now approached again ; the Captain 

 leads ; but as the mare is about to rise he turns her 

 sharply round and gallops in a different direction. 

 Screwdriver refuses it too. 



" Damnation ! I thought it," said Bradon ; " there's 

 a blackguard's trick ! " 



" Oh ! poor Charles," ejaculated the beautiful 

 Alice ; " my poor colours ! " 



" The Captain's cleared it ! " shouted out the 

 multitude, as the mare was seen to take the wall 

 splendidly. 



" Where's your soldier now ? " shouted out a 

 chorus of voices. 



" Shure it's myself," said the captain, " could 

 never be licked." 



" Most unfortunate 1 " said the old Colonel, " a 

 dirty trick ; and after my kindness to him, 

 too ! " 



" The soldier is going at it again ! " cried the 

 people ; and the horse is seen' to rise gallantly at it, 

 but both horse and rider came down on the other 

 side. 



" Och, wirra wirra, vo vo ! Mother of Moses, 



