ver walked his horse away across the green.

The inspector, who had drawn up in the road, got down from his trap, and
came toward Silver.

"I beg your pardon, sir," he said. "You've nothing against that chap?"

He knew very well who Silver was, and was obsequious accordingly.

"Nothing," said Silver shortly.

"Excuse me, won't you, sir?" continued the inspector. "I wouldn't
trouble you only we know him. He's been in trouble before. And we have
to watch him. He's a bit funny in the temper. And when he's on the boil
there's not a great deal he'll stop at."

"I've nothing against him," repeated Silver, and rode on to join Monkey
Brand, who was nursing a youngster by the pond.

The little jockey greeted him with a drop of one eyelid.

"He's watchin' you, sir," he said quietly.

"Who is?" asked the young man.

"Joses, sir. Through the window of _The Beehive_."

"Never mind him," replied Silver, keeping his broad scarlet back turned
on the public-house and the face peering at him over the half-blind.

"He's got some friends here," continued Monkey, in the same hushed
monotone. "That's why he's gone inside. That tall genelman you was
talkin' with. Very close they was at one time. Too close in a manner o'
speakin'. See, you can be _too_ close friends. Then you gets to know too
much about each other. Then there's trouble and a kickin'-match."

The Duke waved his arm, and hounds moved off.

Horsemen, carriages, and pedestrians followed them in straggling
procession.

Monkey Brand and Silver kept together. In front of them Boy Woodburn and
Albert Edward rode side by side.

Viewed from the rear, they were ridiculously alike in shape and size and
bearing.

The little jockey pointed out the resemblance to his companion. He
clucked and winked and joggled with his elbow.

"Not much atween 'em seen from behind, sir," he said.

"How's he coming on?" asked Silver.

"Why, not bad, sir," replied the jockey. "He's the pick of our bunch
anyway. If he wasn't so puffed up wiv himself, he'd do."

"I saw he did Chukkers down at Sandown in the International," said the
young man.

"He did, sir. He did so," replied the little man. "One more up to
Putnam's, that was." And he gave the story of how the Putnam's lad had
beaten the crack in the big race.

It seemed that Chukkers, who was riding Jackaroo for Ikey Aaronsohnn,
had thought he was well through, and was sitting down to idle home, when
two fences from the finish Alb