152 ONLY THE MARE 



exchange the last few sentences with my 

 friends. 



Bertie is a trifle pale, but confident ; and Smithers 

 seems to have a large supply of the latter quality. 

 In however high esteem we hold our own opinions, 

 we are glad of professional advice when it comes to 

 the push ; and I seek instructions. 



" Xo, sir, don't you wait on him. Go away as 

 hard as you can directly the flag drops. I don't 

 like the look of that chestnut's legs — or, rather, I 

 do like the look of them for our sakes. Go away 

 as hard as ever you can ; but take it easy at the 

 fences ; and, excuse me, sir, but just let the mare 

 have her head when she jumps, and she'll be all 

 right. People talk about ' lifting horses at their 

 fences : ' I only knew one man who could do it, and 

 he made mistakes." 



I nod ; smiling as cheerfully as anxiety will per- 

 mit me. The flag falls, and Little Lady skims over 

 the ground, the heavy chestnut thundering away 

 behind. 



Over the first fence — a hedge — and then across 

 a ploughed field ; rather hard going, but not nearly 

 so bad as I expected it would have been : the mare 

 moving beautifully. Just as I reach the second 

 fence a boy rushes across the course, baulking us ; 

 and before I can set her going again Jibboom has 



