jfockeys, 107 



coloured breeches and gaiters, did his good dame^a 

 world of credit. Occasionally he would ride over to 

 Belle Isle to see Billy Pierse, or " The Governor," as 

 he was always termed ; and his absent rejoinder, 

 " Glad of it, sir ! glad of it,'' to old Mr. Pierse, when 

 he told him, as was his querulous wont, " how very 

 poorly" he felt that morning ; and his comment >upon 

 a sacred picture, the subject of which is familiar to 

 every child of three, raised many a smile when he was 

 gone. 



It is recorded of him that he was never ^^^ outwitted 

 seen in a passion but once. A two-mile by Pierse and 

 race over, Preston — of which Ben, who ^^^^^cott. 

 was on Corregio, made, like every one else, a dead 

 certainty — was the scene of it ; and Bill Scott and 

 Pierse, both on horses of Mr. Yates's, composed the 

 field. " We II have oicr wark to beat him, 7iow we're 

 both on," said Pierse to Scott. " We mim try and put 

 him out of temper!' " No use trying that on',' resumed 

 Bill ; " he's just like a post'.' " Never mind',' replied 

 Pierse ; " no one has a better chance than thee. Bill ; be 

 off, and slip it into him'.' The task just suited Scott, 

 and away he cantered alongside his victim. '' I'll give 

 it you to-day',' he began, with the usual garnish. In 

 vain the gentle Ben tried to parry him with, " May be ! 

 May be ! thee's a young man ; tJiee hasn' t gotten to the 

 end yet!' However, flesh and blood could not endure 

 the torrent of abuse which followed, within ear-shot of 

 so many people, and in less than five minutes another 

 conversation ensued near the distance. " Governor ! 

 the old fool's regularly got his mettle up ; what are we 

 to do?" "Do, Bill!" repHed that functionary; ''go 

 azvay with Gaudy as hard as ever thee can split ; mak 

 him believe all thou's said, and Til toddle behind!' 

 And so when they did go, Ben was in such a down- 

 right passion at his tormentor, that he followed him 

 every yard of the way. At the end of a mile-and-a* 

 half Gaudy fairly stood still ; Bill looked over his 



