“I favors dat!” Pap exclaimed. “Dis is de las’ race of de las’ day of de fair. I favors makin’ it de las’ of Shin Bone. I’s done got plum’ nauseated wid dat nigger anyhow.” They waited on Shin in a body and proposed to take all his money away from him. “I bets dollar fer dollar, niggers,” Shin replied smilingly. “I is got one hunderd an’ sixty dollars, an’ I lets it go easy.” “Who holds de stakes?” Pap Curtain asked. “I dunno,” Shin answered. “I ain’t figgered on dat.” “How will Whiffle Boone suit?” Pap inquired: “She suits,” Shin said indifferently. “Less hunt her up.” They found Whiffle in the grandstand and explained what they wanted her to do. She gladly consented and accepted their money, keeping a record of the amount of their bets. When the men left her Whiffle sat for a long time in deep meditation, then she started on a search for Shin Bone. Shin was busy at the stable plaiting Rattlesnake’s mane and tail into long, hard braids, a half dozen on the mane and as many on the tail. He was working eagerly, confidently, with the manner of a man who knew what he was doing. “Shinny,” Whiffle asked, “who is gwine ride yo’ hoss?” “I’m is.” “Is you shore you is gwine win, Shin?” “Suttinly.” “I don’t see how dat cripple hoss kin run,” Whiffle remarked in troubled tones. “It do ’pear like dat stiff leg hinders him some,” Shin grinned. “But I done found out somepin ’bout dis hoss: he ain’t skeart of nothin’ but a rattlesnake.” “Dat discover don’t make him run no faster,” Whiffle replied. “No’m. But ef I was to tie a rattlesnake to his tail I ’speck he would run some.” “Huh!” Whiffle snorted disgustedly. “You ain’t gwine tie no snake to dat hoss’s tail.” “Dat’s a fack,” Shin snickered. “I’s skeart of snakes. But I tells you dis honest, Whiffle: ef you got any money to bet, you bet it on Rattlesnake. I wouldn’t tell you dis ef I didn’t love you more’n anybody!” “I owns one hunderd dollars, Shin. Me an’ Pap winned in de race whut busted you up yistiddy. I’s gwine bet on Rattlesnake fer yo’ sake, because I loves you.” It seemed a long time to Shin Bone before the last race. A good hour before that contest of speed Shin had Rattlesnake saddled and waiting. When at last the bell rang for the final racing event of the fair Shin mounted his stiff-legged steed and rode slowly out upon the track. He counted and found that fifteen other horses were entered, the only formidable rivals to Rattlesnake being Doodlebug and Nigger Blackie. There are various methods in use among horsemen to extract speed from their race-horses.