OUR DEBT TO THE ARAB 33 



sheik. But if the Moor thought, as he doubtless 

 did, that the horse's real value was now recognized, 

 he was soon to learn his error, for Godolphin re- 

 garded Scham only as an interesting specimen of 

 the oriental stock, in no wise comparable to the 

 English-bred horses that formed his stud, and had 

 no thought of using him as a sire. The " head 

 of the stud " — the horse that held the place of 

 honor in the stable — was an English-bred stallion 

 named Hobgoblin, and to him the best mares were 

 bred. But Agba had nevertheless determined 

 that, by hook or by crook, Scham should have a 

 chance to show his value as a sire. 



There was a mare in the stables, named Roxana, 

 whom it had been arranged to breed to Hobgoblin. 

 She was a daughter of Flying Childers and so a 

 descendant, on one side, of the Darley Arabian 

 and was considered one of the best mares in the 

 stables. 



On the day that she was to be bred to Hobgob- 

 lin one of the grooms stood holding her near the 

 center of the stable-yard while, from a gate at the 

 farther end, the head groom entered, leading Hob- 

 goblin. A surprise was in store for the head 

 groom. As he passed the enclosure where Scham 

 was kept, its door was suddenly thrown wide open 

 and Scham, with a shrill neigh, rushed out. Ow- 

 ing partly to his past record and partly to stories 



