Gad! there's
riding for you!--Tressider's 'Pilot''s blown already--Marquis hasn't
turned a hair!"
And indeed the Marquis, it would seem, has at last ceased to worry
over his cravat, and has taken the lead, and now, stooped low in the
saddle, gallops a good twelve yards in front of Tressider.
"Come on Bev!" cries the Viscount and, uttering a loud "view hallo,"
flourishes his whip. "Moonraker" leaps forward, lengthens his stride,
and away he goes fast and furious, filling the air with flying clods,
on and on,--is level with Tressider,--is past, and galloping neck
and neck with the Marquis.
Onward sweeps the race, over fallow and plough, over hedge and ditch
and fence, until, afar off, Barnabas sees again the gleam of
water--a jump full thirty feet across. Now, as he rides with
"The Terror" well in hand, Barnahas is aware of a gray head with
flaring nostrils, of a neck outstretched, of a powerful shoulder, a
heaving flank, and Carnaby goes by. "The Terror" sees this too and,
snorting, bores savagely upon the bit--but in front of him gallops
Tressider's chestnut, and beside him races the Captain's sorrel. So,
foot by foot, and yard by yard, the gray wins by.
Pages:
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595