190 HOW I WON MY HANDICAP 



£250 at 5 to 1 directly after the heat, so that our 

 party stood to win £1000 exactly, of which I was 

 to have £200 if I "lauded." We were together 

 till bedtime, and slept in a double room. At seveu 

 next morning we took a stroll, and just as we got 

 to Alf s to breakfast somebody put a bit of paper 

 into my hand and then shot away. I slipped it in 

 my pocket, and said " nowt " till after breakfast, 

 when I read on it, "£150 for thyself before the 

 start if thou'U run fourth." I asked Locker what 

 it meant, and he laughed, and said they wanted me 

 to " rope." When we went out again the little 

 fellow pulled out a roll of notes and showed 'em to 

 me ; but I meant to win if possible, so I shook my 

 head. As the morning passed I " sort of funked " 

 the race, but then I thought, " I were a made man 

 if I copped." So I just said to mysel', " Bill, lad, 

 haul in the slack," and off we went to the grounds. 

 I never felt fitter either before or since ; and after 

 Eoper got off badly and was beat a short foot, I was 

 sure the final heat was my own. My second heat 

 was an easy win, and " Lord, how the Sheffielders 

 did shout " when I ran in three yards ahead without 

 being fully extended ! They laid 7 to 4 on me for 

 the deciding race, which was the hardest of the lot. 

 Hooper of Stanningly went from the same mark ; 

 we afterwards found out they'd played a similar 



