he young
lady. But they was too cunnin' for me, sir."

"Be more explicit, sir!" said Wetherell sternly. "Don't stand there
whining, but tell your story straight-forwardly and at once."

The poor wretch pulled himself together and did his best. "It was in
this way, sir," he began. "Last week I was introduced by a friend of
mine to as nice a spoken man as ever I saw. He was from England, he said
and having a little money thought he'd like to try his 'and at a bit o'
racing in Australia, like. He was on the look-out for a smart man, he
said, who'd be able to put him up to a wrinkle or two, and maybe train
for him later on. He went on to say that he'd 'eard a lot about me, and
thought I was just the man for his money. Well, we got more and more
friendly till the other night, Monday, when he said as how he'd settled
on a farm a bit out in the country, and was going to sign the agreement,
as they called it, for to rent it next day. He was goin' to start a stud
farm and trainin' establishment combined, and would I take the billet of
manager at three 'undred a year? Anyway, as he said, 'Don't be in a
'urry to decide; take your time and think it over. Meet me at the
_Canary Bird 'Otel_ on Thursday night (that's to-night, sir) and give me
your decision.' Well, sir, I drove Miss Wetherell to Government 'Ouse,
sir, according to orders, and then, comin' 'ome, went round by the
_Canary Bird_, to give 'im my answer, thinkin' no 'arm could ever come
of it. When I drove up he was standin' at the door smoking his cigar,
an' bein' an affable sort of fellow, invited me inside to take a drink.
'I don't like to leave the box,' I said. 'Oh, never mind your horse,'
says he. ''Ere's a man as will stand by it for five minutes.' He gave a
respectable lookin' chap, alongside the lamp-post, a sixpence, and he
'eld the 'orse; so in I went. When we got inside I was for goin' to the
bar, but 'e says, 'No. This is an important business matter, and we
don't want to be over'eard.' With that he leads the way into a private
room at the end of the passage and shuts the door. 'What's yours?' says
he. 'A nobbler o' rum,' says I. Then he orders a nobbler of rum for me
and a nobbler of whisky for 'imself. And when it was brought we sat
talkin' of the place he'd thought o' takin' an' the 'orses he was goin'
to buy, an' then 'e says, ''Ullo! Somebody listenin' at the door. I
'eard a step. Jump up and look.' I got up and ran to the door, but there
was nobody ther