MY FIRST AND LAST STEEPLE-CHASE 147 



after the horses, determined not to throw away a 

 chance. 



Misfortunes seldom come alone. The day before 

 the race, so ardently looked forward to, arrived at 

 last. I had been engaged in unpacking the flowers 

 that were arriving all the afternoon from the neigh- 

 bouring conservatories, while Dick was amusing him- 

 self brewing cold punch in the lodge. The girls were 

 out walking; and, when my work was over, I took 

 a stroll along the beach to meet them. Up to this 

 time the weather had been glorious ; such a summer 

 and autumn as few could remember: but now I 

 saw, with some anxiety, there was every appearance 

 of an unfavourable change. Although not a breath 

 of wind stirred, the ground-swell broke heavily on 

 the bar, and there was a greenish look in the sky 

 where the sun w^as setting, that boded no good. 

 The curlews were unusually noisy, their clear, shrill 

 whistle resounding on all sides, and large flocks of 

 sea-birds were flying in towards the land. A 

 fishing-boat had just made fast to the pier, and the 

 owner came forward to meet me. 



" What luck this evening, Barney ? " I inquired. 



" Just middlin', yer honour. There's a dozen of 

 lobsters, a John Dory, and a turbot. I'll send 

 them to the lodge. The oysters went up this 

 morning — iligant ones, they wor ; raal jewels." 



