rs agin a
hundred that the gray nag gits left behind. Do I hear any man who wants
to come agin me on them yer terms?" shouted still another.

"Hi! yer boys, give the stranger a chance. Don't scare him out of
his boots," said a man who evidently was afraid that my father
might back out.

Father had but little to say, however, and would not venture more than
fifty dollars on the result of the race.

"Gentlemen, I am only racing my horse for sport," said he, "and am only
betting enough to make it interesting. I have never seen Little Gray run,
and therefore don't know what he can do;" at the same time he was
confident that his horse would come in the winner, as he had chosen an
excellent rider for him.

Finally all the preliminaries of the contest were arranged. The judges
were chosen and the money was deposited in the hands of a stake-holder.
The race was to be a single dash, of a mile. The horses were brought side
by side and mounted by their riders.

At the signal--"One, two, three, go!"--off they started like a flash. The
Missouri horse took the lead for the first quarter of a mile; at the
half-mile, however, he began to weaken. The Missourians shouted
themselves hoarse in urging their horse, but all to no avail. The Little
Gray passed him and continued to leave him farther and farther behind,
easily winning the race.

The affair created a great deal of enthusiasm; but the race was conducted
with honor and fairness, which was quite an agreeable surprise to my
father, who soon found the Missourians to be at heart very clever
men--thus showing that outside appearances are sometimes very deceptive;
they nearly all came up and congratulated him on his success, asked him
why he had not bet more money on the race, and wanted to buy Little Gray.

"Gentlemen," said he, "when I drove up here and arranged for this race, I
felt confident that my horse would win it. I was among entire strangers,
and therefore I only bet a small amount. I was afraid that you would
cheat me in some way or other. I see now that I was mistaken, as I have
found you to be honorable men."

"Wa-all, you could have broke _me_" said the man who wanted to bet the
five hundred dollars to one hundred, "for that there nag o' yourn looks
no more like a runner nor I do."

During our stay in the place they treated us very kindly, and continued
to try to purchase Little Gray. My father, however, remained firm in his
determination not to part with him.