rst at once than keep threatening me in this
fashion."

"No, you would n't; no--no--nothing of the kind," said Davis, with a
mockery of gentleness in his voice and manner.

"May I be hanged if I would not!" cried Beecher, passionately.

"It ain't hanging now,--they 've made it transportation," said Davis,
with a grin; "and them as has tried it says the old way was easiest."
And in the slang style of the last words there was a terrible
significance,--it was as though a voice from the felons' dock was
uttering a word of warning. Such was the effect on Beecher that he sank
slowly down into a seat, silent and powerless.

"If you had n't been in this uncommon high style tonight," said Grog,
quietly, "I'd have told you some excellent reasons for what I was
advising. I got a letter from Spicer this morning. He, and a foreign
fellow he calls Count Lienstahl,--it sounds devilish like 'lie and
steal,' don't it?--have got a very pretty plant together, and if they
could only chance upon a good second-rate horse, they reckon about eight
or ten hundred in stakes alone this coming spring. They offer me a share
if I could come out to them, and mean to open the campaign at Brussels.
Now, there's a thing to suit us all,--'picking for every one,' as they
say in the oakum-sheds."

"Cochin China might be had for five hundred; or there's Spotted Snake,
they want to sell him for anything he'll bring," said Beecher, with
animation.

"They could manage five hundred at least, Spicer says. We 're good for
about twelve thousand francs, which ought to get us what we're looking
for."

"There's Anchovy Paste--"

"Broke down before and behind."

"Hop the Twig, own sister to Levanter; ran second for the Colchester
Cup--"

"Mares don't answer abroad."

"Well, what do you say to Mumps?"

"There's the horse for the Continent. A great heavy-headed, thick-jawed
beast, with lazy action, and capped hocks. He's the animal to walk into
a foreign jockey club. Oh, if we had him!"

"I know where he is!" exclaimed Beecher, in ecstasy. "There 's a
Brummagem fellow driving him through Wales,--a bagman,--and he takes him
a turn now and then for the county stakes that offer. I 'll lay my head
on't we get him for fifty pounds."

"Come, old fellow," said Grog, encouragingly, "you _have_ your wits
about you, after all. Breakfast here to-morrow, about twelve o'clock,
and we 'll see if we can't arrange the whole affair. It's a sure five
hundred apiece, a