374 THE TROTTING-HOESE OF AMERICA. 



was ten to one on Butler against Dexter, and they dared not 

 take the odds. I did not encourage them to bet ; but I said 

 to Mr. Alley and Mr. Tester, " The race is not lost, and 

 won't be till it's won : there's a chance yet, mind you, with 

 this horse." That was because I knew his invincible game 

 and thorough bottom, if he could once manage to get his 

 speed. I kept him on the move between heats ; for to suffer 

 him to cool slowly down to torpor and stiffness again was 

 to lose it to a certainty. 



We had another good start. On the turn, Butler led a 

 length, and the Commodore was neck-and-neck with me. 

 The Commodore was trotting fast ; and I took a good pull 

 on Dexter, to let the former take a tussle with Butler. At 

 it they went, these commanders of the land and sea ; and 

 past the quarter-pole the Commodore reached Butler's 

 shoulder. I was a couple of lengths behind. The Com- 

 modore now broke, and went all to pieces ; and Dexter, well 

 settled, began to close accounts with Butler. We gained 

 inch by inch ; and at the half-mile pole, in Im. 13^s.,-Eoff 

 did not have to look much over his shoulder to see the white 

 face and wicked eye that was after him. Half-way round 

 the riushing end. Dexter was at Butler's girths, and at the 

 head of the stretch had, got forward to his shoulder. It 

 was now or never. We came along the straight side head- 

 to-head. Butler trotted well, and Eoff drove him with iine 

 art ; but Dexter lasted the longest in the brush at their best. 

 Inside the distance, Butler broke, and Dexter won in 2ra. 

 27Js. 



There was a good deal of excitement now, but little bet- 

 ting. Sim Hoagland came to me, and said, "Hiram, you've 

 got 'em." I thought I had too • but I knew that Butler 

 would make a desperate fight to rhe end. So it proved. In 

 the fourth heat, we went away neck-and-neck ; while Van- 

 derbilt was outpaced, soon broke, and was out of it. At 

 the quarter in 37s., Dexter and Butler were side by side. 

 Doxter then got a neck in front, and thus we went to the 



