the artist as he could.
Joses, to do him justice, stuck to his self-imposed task with
astonishing pertinacity in spite of opposition. He did not give up
indeed until Flaminetta, a lengthy mare with an astonishing reach,
suddenly exploded without warning and missed his head with a steel-shod
heel by a short foot.

Joses tumbled backward off his stool and crawled out of danger on his
hands and knees with astonishing alacrity for so gross a man.

Monkey Brand, an interested witness of the catastrophe, came limping up
full of the tenderest solicitude.

"Oh, my, Mr. Joses!--my!" he cried. "I never knew her to do that afore.
_Ah, yer! what ye up to?_"

Joses, still on his hands and knees, looked up at the little jockey, his
eyes aghast with anger and fear.

"Ginger!" he snorted. "You put it there."

Monkey Brand eyed him with bland interest.

"You know a wunnerful deal about 'orses for a hartist, Mr. Joses," he
remarked, not troubling to deny the soft impeachment.

Joses got to his feet and began to talk volubly.

Monkey Brand listened in respectful silence, waving to the lads to keep
in the background.

When the orator had finished, the little jockey went in to report to Old
Mat.

"He knows altogether too much that Mr. Joses do," he ended.

The trainer nodded.

"I guessed as much," he said. "I'll make inquiries."

* * * * *

Two days later Old Mat called his head-lad into the office. He was in
his socks and shut the door with precautions.

Mystery was the breath of life to both men, who were at heart but
children.

"Seen Joses lately?" began the old man cautiously.

"Not since then, sir," the other answered in the same tone.

Old Mat went to the window and drew down the blind. There was nobody but
Maudie in the yard outside, and no human being within fifty yards. But
such considerations must not come between the principal actors and the
correct ritual for such occasions.

"I was over at Lewes yesterday," he panted huskily. "I see that tall
inspector chap--him I put on to Flaminetta for the Sefton."

Monkey was all alert.

"What did he say, sir?"

"Not much," muttered the other. "Enough, though."

Monkey drooped his eyelids and tilted his chin. His face became a
masterpiece of secrecy and cunning.

Old Mat turned his lips inward.

"I've warned him off," he said, "you might snout about a bit and rout
out what he _is_ after."

The other nodded.

"Monkey's the