ONLY THE MARE 137 



It was not very pleasant to rise at an abnormal 

 hour every morning, and arrayed in great-coats and 

 comforters sufficient for six people, to rush rapidly 

 about the country ; but it was necessary. I was a 

 little too heavy, and we could not afford to throw 

 away any weight, nor did I wish to have my saddle 

 reduced to the size of a cheese-plate, as would have 

 been my fate had I been unable to reduce myself. 

 Breakfast, presided over by ISTellie, compensated for 

 all matutinal discomforts ; and then she came 

 round to the stables to give the mare an 

 encouraging pat and a few words of advice and 

 endearment which I verily believe the gallant little 

 mare understood, for it rubbed its nose against her 

 shoulder as though it would say, " Just you leave it 

 in my hands — or, rather, to my feet — and I'll make 

 it all right ! " Then we started for our gallop, 

 Bertie riding a steady old iron-grey hunter. 



The fourth of December arrived, and the mare's 

 condition was splendid. " As fit as a fiddle," was 

 the verdict of Smithers, a veterinary surgeon who 

 had done a good deal of training in his time, and 

 who superintended our champion's preparation ; and 

 though we were ignorant of the precise degree of 

 fitness to which fiddles usually attain, he seemed 

 pleased, and so, consequently, were we. Unfortun- 

 ately on this morning Bertie's old hunter proved 



