r the race
you must be doubly careful."

"Dat I will, suh--doctuh. Yo' may 'pen' on me. Now 'bout dis heah hoss
I'm a-settin' straddle uv." He fairly choked with pride and emotion as
he moved his bony hand up the richly maned neck caressingly. "Dis hoss
am de none-sich hoss, whut means dar ain't anudder'n lak 'im nowhahs. He
runs lak a pig'n fly, goin' home. 'N' he's had de bes' o' kyar!
Fo't-night, come tuhmorrer, I's been out hyar, rain ur shine, 'n' I rub
dis hoss twel he shine lak a new stove. I feed 'im de right numbah yeahs
o' cawn; de right size bunch o' hay. Den I gits on 'im 'n' rides 'im
roun' dis track twel he drips lather lak soap-suds. A man frum town
stood right dar whah you is dis minute de udder day, 'n' he tol' me dat
he couldn't see 'im w'en he passed--he wuz dat fas'. Den I rub 'im dry
'n' put on de blanket, 'n' mek he bed, 'n' lock de do' 'n' we bofe go
'sleep. 'N' dat w'at I gwi' do twel de day come w'en he win de race! 'N'
he gwi' _win_, simply 'kase he can't lose!"

He stopped for breath, and the knotty hand which rested on the colt's
neck trembled. His recital had moved him, for it was truly a matter of
life and death to him.

John took out his watch.

"If you will pardon the suggestion, Miss Julia, I will say that we had
better let Uncle Peter have The Prince go. It will be dark soon."

"Certainly. Ride him around the track, Uncle Peter. Let us see what
there is in him!"

"So please yo', young missus, hit bein' de bes' way, I'll staht 'im out
roun' de track, 'n' let 'im lope easy-lak de fus' time roun'. Den, w'en
he git soop'le up de fus' time roun', I gwi' _run 'im_! Yo' watch, young
missus--I say I gwi' _run 'im_!"

His wrinkled face irradiated with a great joy, Uncle Peter gathered up
the reins and clenched the slender body with his knees. Gracefully and
slowly The Prince swung around the oval enclosure, revealing such
marvelous freedom from exertion, such spontaneity of action, that the
faces of the two spectators standing in the shadow of the grandstand
expressed almost amazement. John shifted his position a little nearer to
Julia--he wanted so much to take her hand--and they watched in silence.
The small figure on The Prince's back was humped over after the approved
attitude of a jockey, and was rising and falling with each long
undulation as though part of the animal he rode. The twain by the fence
kept silent. Back on the grandstand was a small group of men, also
watching The Pr