LIFE WITH THE TROTTEKS. 209 



money that lie could get judiciously, and I went out to trot 

 and win in three straight heats. He drew the pole, but when 

 the word was given in the first heat the horse next to him 

 broke and swerved, and I took Brigadier back to avoid a 

 collision. Just then he caught a hind foot in one of his 

 •quarter boots, and came near throwing himself down. By 

 "the time I got him stopped the other horse was going down 

 the back side of the track and Brigadier was more than a 

 distance out. I took in the situation at a glance, made up 

 my mind I had no chance to save my distance, and merely 

 .jogged him round the track. When I arrived at the judges' 

 stand, I found there rather an excited party, and among 

 the lot was a very pompous individual who had a pool- 

 ticket on Brigadier the amount of which did not represent 

 "perhaps one-half of one per cent, of the sum that Briga- 

 dier's owner had on him. This man was telling the judges 

 in language more forcible than elegant that he did not pro- 

 pose to be robbed by Splan or anyone else. He wanted a 

 show for his money, or there would be a fight. He knew I 

 had thrown the heat away for a purpose and had my horse 

 -distanced intentionally. Of course Mr. McDonald and my- 

 self expected Brigadier to ' be distanced, and had already 

 •commenced to figure up our losses. The judges held a con- 

 sultation and then called me into the stand, and I will never 

 forget the expression on their faces, as they looked at me 

 as much as to say: " You are perhaps a pretty cute driver, 

 but you can't come up in this country and swindle our 

 patrons," and they opened their conversation by asking me 

 if my horse was in the habit of making that kind of breaks. 

 I told them no^t was the first time he ever broke with me 

 in a race. In a very dignified manner, they informed me 

 that they were not satisfied with the manner in which I had 

 •driven the heat; that they were not going to take me out, as 

 they believed I was as good a driver as there was on the 

 track, but would insist on my starting my horse again, and 

 "that if he did not win they would perhaps relieve me from 

 •driving any more that season, meaning that I would be sus- 



