112 ROAD, TRACK, AND STABLE. 
of admirable qualities on the part of both horse and 
man. It is true, that, so far as the drivers are con- 
cerned, their skill is often prostituted to the exigen- 
cies of the pool-box, but no accusation of this sort 
was ever brought against a trotter. The breath of 
suspicion may at times have rested upon Splan, but 
the name of Nobby is untarnished. In the two con- 
tests Just described, all parties to the fight honestly 
exerted the qualifications that nature and experience 
had given them; and although victory perched first 
here and then there, the prize finally fell, as should 
be the case, to superior courage, endurance, patience, 
and skill. 
