; and sometimes
he won't for eether. One thing certain, he won't stir for no one
else--only _her_, o' course. No muckin' about with _her_. It's just
_click!_ and away."

"Pity she can't ride," said Silver.

"If she could ride I'd back him till all was blue," replied the old
man. "No proposition in a hoss's skin that ever come out of
Yankee-doodle-land could see the way he'd go."

"Who rode him at Lingfield?" asked Jim.

Just after Christmas Mat had put the young horse into a two-mile
steeplechase to give him a gallop in public.

"Albert," answered the old man. "Rode him and rode him well. It was just
touch and go through. Would he or wouldn't he? When he was monkeyin' at
the post I tell you I sweat, sir. See he'd never faced the starter
afore. And I thought suppose he's the sort that'll do a good trial and
chuck it when the money's on. He got well left at the post; but when he
did get goin' he ran a great horse. It was heavy goin', and he fair
revelled in it. 'Reg'lar mudlark,' the papers called him. Half-way round
he'd caught his horses and went through 'em like a knife through butter,
and he could ha' left 'em smilin'. But that lad, Albert, he's got
something better'n a sheep's head on his neck. Took to his whip and
flogg'd his boot a caution. Oh, dear me!--fair sat down to it. All over
the place, arms and legs, and such a face on him! And little Fo'-Pound
he winks to 'isself and rolls 'ome at the top of his form just anyhow.
'Alf a length the judges gave it, and a punishin' finish the papers
called it. Jaggers didn't see it, and Chukkers wasn't ridin'. So there
was nobody to tell no tales; an' they're puttin' him in at ten stone."

"And the mare's got twelve-seven," said the young man meditatively.

"Twelve-three," said the trainer. "And she'll carry it, too. But I'll
back my Berserk against their Iroquois any time o' day this side o'
'Appy Alleloojah Land."

The hacks were being led out into the yard with a pleasant clatter of
feet, and Boy was already mounted.

"Come and see for yourself," panted the old man. "I'm goin' to send him
along to-day. See whether he can reelly get four mile without a fuss. I
was only waitin' till you come."

CHAPTER XXXII

The Fat Man Emerges

The old man, the young man, and the girl rode out of the yard into the
Paddock Close.

"Where's Billy Bluff?" asked Silver. He was on Heart of Oak, she high
above him, perched like a bird on tall old Silvertail, who looked