before they reached the half-mile, and remain there. Of course, if he found that he was a stone or more in hand, as the Gaffer expected, he might come away pretty well as he liked, for the greatest danger was that the horse might get shut out or might show temper and turn it up. "Well," said Mr. Leopold, "there were two false starts, and Silver Braid must have galloped a couple of 'undred yards afore the Demon could stop him. There wasn't twopence-halfpenny worth of strength in him--pulling off those three or four pounds pretty well finished him. He'll never be able to ride that weight again.... He said afore starting that he felt weak; you took him along too smartly from Portslade the last time you went there." "When he went by himself he'd stop playing marbles with the boys round the Southwick public-house." "If there had been another false start I think it would have been all up with us. The Gaffer was quite pale, and he stood there not taking his glasses from his eyes. There were over thirty of them, so you can imagine how hard it was to get them into line. However, at the third attempt they were got straight and away they came, a black line stretching right across the course. Presently the black cap and jacket came to the front, and not very long after a murmur went round, 'Silver Braid wins.' Never saw anything like it in all my life. He was three lengths a'ead, and the others were pulling off. 'Damn the boy; he'll win by twenty lengths,' said the Gaffer, without removing his glasses. But when within a few yards of the stand----" At that moment the bell rang. Mr. Leopold said, "There, they are wanting their tea; I must go and get it." "Drat their tea," said Margaret; "they can wait. Finish up; tell us how he won."