on it. Mr. Piker had his Chin over the Fence and
was wondering if any one would gather up his Body and put it on the
Train. His Pulse was up to 180 and he couldn't hear the Band play.
He saw them come past the first time. Sassafras had a piece of
Daylight between himself and the Bunch. The Boy was going along under
Double Wraps with a lot up his Sleeve. Away back in the Pocket there
was something with a 3 on it. Percy clung to the Fence and he felt
the Chill come up his Legs. Sassafras had them smothered. He heard the
Roar behind him and knew that an Awful Thing was being pulled off, but
he did not have the Heart to look. As they pounded up the Stretch he
lifted a dying Gaze and saw a figure 3 move out of the horrible Mix-Up
and it was all over but the Cashing.
[Illustration: _"Come On!"_]
A bug-eyed Maniac with his Collar to the bad was found wandering
hither and thither with $90 in his Left Hand. The Tout had to shake
him a couple of times before he came to. The Tout had some Goods of
a very superior Quality. In the next Race there was a Collie that had
enough Hop in him to convert a Selling Plater into a Reina. It was
like making change with a Blind Man. Rinkaboo was the Name. Breathe it
softly, as very few were Next.
The Tout said to play it across the Board, forward and back, up and
down. He said that Rinkaboo would breeze in, that he would win on the
Bit, doing Buck and Wing Steps, that all the others would seem to be
Hitched.
So, Mr. Piker allowed the Tout to take him by the Hand, for he was too
weak to resist, and together they wandered off into Dreamland. Piece
by Piece the happy Sesterces went up. Rinkaboo was played in all the
Books, straight, place and to peep. Mr. Piker found himself up in the
Grand Stand holding his Head with one Hand while in the other Hand was
a Pinochle Deck, suitable for framing. If Rinkaboo finished at all,
Mr. Piker was a Wealthy Person. If he happened in toward the head of
the Procession, Mr. Piker would have to send for a Furniture Van. If
he came First, it would be a case of Hoboken for every Book inside of
the Fence.
After it was all over and Mr. Percy M. Piker was riding homeward
with his Head out of a Trolley Window, he recalled dimly that a large
number of long-legged Ponies came out on the Track. One of them was
the color of an Old Glove and was doing a Two-Step. There was about
twenty minutes of Fussing around at the Bend in the Track and then
they all kited aw
|