DERBYANA. 221 



upon one occasion. ' I had something to do ",vith that 

 business,' said Bob one evening to a few friends ; ' but 

 it never put much money in my purse, and one 3'car it 

 took a clean hundred pounds out of it in one bet. That 

 was a good few years since : Spaniel's Derby, it was. 

 Well, there was some of us waiting for the news in my 

 room. It wanted a full hour of the time the mail would 

 arrive, and we had no expectation of hearing what had 

 won till about twenty minutes before the time set for 

 the mail. The great favourite for that year's race was 

 a horse called Riddlesworth, which it was said could 

 not lose. I had backed it early on, but could not get 

 good odds. Well, as I was saying, we were all waiting, 

 when two officers from the cavalry barracks at Jock's 

 Lodge sauntered in fully three-quarters of an hour 

 before the news of "what had won" could reach us, 

 and ordered brandy-and-sodas. One of them had a 

 very fine sporting dog with him which, some of my 

 customers greatly admired. "Ah," said one of the 

 officers, " that is the winner — Spaniel, you know." 

 There was a general titter at the idea of Spaniel win- 

 ning the Derby, " Well, you may laugh as 3'ou like, 

 but if any of you want to lay, I'll risk it and back the 

 horse." As I thought they couldn't possibly know 

 the result, I laid him £1U0 to £3, and I think Charley 

 Fraser laid the other officer £50 to 30s. Havin"- 

 booked their bets and finished their drinks, they left 

 on their way to visit a bilHard-room. In about fifteen 

 minutes afterwards our tip came. You can imagine 

 our surprise when we knew it was Spaniel. We had 

 been " had," of course, but dared not saj' so, as we 

 bad " done " the same men over several other races. 



