242 WAYFARING NOTIONS 



which led till they began to sort themselves out 

 a bit. 



Then Caro did a wonderful thing for a pace- 

 maker. Being put in to make the running for 

 Friar Tuck, he actually went to the front, which, 

 as everybody must know, is most unusual under 

 the circumstances. Off went the Duke of Port- 

 land's second string, off and away, offing it to 

 such an extent that when he was abreast of the 

 Rifle Butts he must have been getting on for a 

 hundred yards ahead, and some of us wondered 

 whether he would ever come back to the rest. 

 Come back was the right phrase ; he would have 

 to do that to get beaten, because the rest wouldn't 

 think of going after him. For all the good he 

 did Caro might as well have been at Cairo in 

 Egypt or anywhere else, for no earthly connection 

 was established between him and the first horse. 

 No one took the least notice of him, no more than 

 if he had run out. He went on his way, they did 

 likewise, on independent lines. At last Caro was 

 done for and left Friar Tuck at the head of the 

 remainder, that was as the straight was reached. 

 Where was Sceptre ? folk asked. She was all 

 right, coming up fast, with Cheers going well. 

 Hereabouts Fowling Piece knocked Cheers's and 

 Cupbearer's chances out, and directly afterwards 

 Sceptre put in a typical piece of work. 



Just as she did in the Oaks, the St James's 

 Palace Stakes at Ascot, and the Nassau Stakes 

 at Goodwood, she came and won her race in one 

 act, so to speak. Friar Tuck and Rising Glass 

 were ahead of her. Before you could say 

 ''Knife," or "Jack Robinson," or anything else 

 you wouldn't think of saying, she had passed 

 them and settled down to show them what racing 



