Just as they were taking
the last glass, Jack happened to say he was the best fives player in
the country. "That is lucky," said the Andrew, "for there is a
famous match now playing at the court, and you may never again have
such an opportunity to show your skill." Brown declared "he could
not stay, for that he had left his horse at the Star, and must set
off on urgent business." They now all pretended to call his skill in
question. This roused his pride, and he thought another half hour
could break no squares. Smiler had now had a good feed of corn, and
he would only have to push her on a little more; so to it he went.

He won the first game. This spurred him on; and he played till it
was so dark they could not see a ball. Another bowl was called for
from the winner. Wagers and bets now drained Brown not only of all
the money he had won, but of all he had in his pocket, so that he
was obliged to ask leave to go to the house where his horse was, to
borrow enough to discharge his reckoning at the Globe.

All these losses brought his poor dear mother to his mind, and he
marched off with rather a heavy heart to borrow the money, and to
order Smiler out of the stable. The landlord expressed much surprise
at seeing him, and the ostler declared there was no Smiler there;
that he had been rode off above two hours ago by the merry Andrew,
who said he come by order of the owner, Mr. Brown, to fetch him to
the Globe, and to pay for his feed. It was indeed one of the neatest
tricks the Andrew ever performed, for he made such a clean
conveyance of Smiler, that neither Jack nor his father ever heard of
her again.

It was night: no one could tell what road the Andrew took, and it
was another hour or two before an advertisement could be drawn up
for apprehending the horse-stealer. Jack had some doubts whether he
should go on or return back. He knew that though his father might
fear his wife most, yet he loved Smiler best. At length he took that
courage from a glass of brandy which he ought to have taken from a
hearty repentance, and he resolved to pursue his journey. He was
obliged to leave his watch and silver buckles in pawn for a little
old hack, which was nothing but skin and bone, and would hardly trot
three miles an hour.

He knocked at his father's door about five in the morning. The
family were all up. He asked the boy who opened the door how his
mother was? "She is dead," said the boy; "she died yesterday
afternoon." H