says Joe.

'That's a secret at present,' says she; 'but you'll know some day, when
you're a bit older, if you behave yourself. He's Mr. Jacob Benton's
Darkie now, and you bet on him to the coat on your back.'

'I'll see what I think of him first,' says Joe, who didn't fancy having
a horse rammed down his throat like that.

'If you don't like him you don't like me,' says Maddie. 'So mind that,
Joe Moreton.'

Just as she spoke there was a stir in the crowd, and old Jacob came
along across the course leading a horse with a sheet on, just as
easy-going as if he'd a day to spare. One of the stewards rode up to
him, and asked him what he meant by being so late.

The old chap pulls out his watch. 'You'll stick to your advertised time,
won't you? I've time to weigh, time to pull off this here sheet and my
overcoat, time to mount, and a minute to spare. I never was late in my
life, governor.'

Most of the riding mob was down with the racehorses, a distance or
so from the stand, where they was to start, the course being over two
miles. So the weighing yard and stand was pretty well empty, which was
just what old Jacob expected.

The old man walks over to the scales and has himself weighed all
regular, declaring a pound overweight for fear of accidents. He gets
down as quiet and easy as possible to the starting point, and just
in time to walk up steadily with the other horses, when down goes the
starter's flag, and 'Off' was the word. Starlight and the Dawsons were
down there waiting for him. As they went away one of the ringmen says,
'Ten to one against Darkie. I lay Darkie.' 'Done,' says Starlight; 'will
you do it in tens?' 'All right,' says the 'book'. 'I'll take you,' says
both the Dawsons, and he entered their names.

They'd taken all they could get the night before at the hotel; and as
no one knew anything about Darkie, and he had top weight, he hadn't many
backers.

Chapter 43

Mr. Dawson drove pretty near the stand then, and they all stood up in
the drag. I went back to Aileen and Gracey Storefield. We were close by
the winning post when they came past; they had to go another time round.

The Sydney horses were first and second, the diggers' favourite third;
but old Rainbow, lying well up, was coming through the ruck hard held
and looking full of running. They passed close by us. What a sight it is
to see a dozen blood horses in top condition come past you like a
flash of lightning! How their hoofs