When Dent saw her head level with him he set to work on his mount. Tristram always finished like a bulldog, and had to be ridden out. He gained again. Sir Robert saw it and said: "He'll come right away now." So thought the others, with the exception of the trainer; he sat on his cob, a self-satisfied smile on his face. "Wait till Fred turns the tap on," he thought. Erickson was not long in doing this. He knew Tearaway's speed was something abnormal; in his opinion nothing could stand against it. In answer to his call, Tearaway swooped down on Tristram again, drew level, headed him, left him, and was a length ahead before Dent recovered from the shock. On came Tearaway. They looked in amazement. Sir Robert could hardly believe his eyes. What a tremendous pace at the end of a two-mile gallop. "What did I tell you!" exclaimed the trainer triumphantly. "Fast as the wind, you bet she is." The black filly came on, increasing her lead at every stride; she passed them a good couple of lengths ahead of Tristram, Admiral toiling in the rear. "Wonderful!" exclaimed Sir Robert. He seemed puzzled to account for it. Was Tristram off color? He must ask Dent. The pair pulled up and came slowly to the group. "Anything wrong with my horse?" asked Sir Robert. "No, sir; he galloped as well as ever, but that filly's a wonder, a holy terror, never saw anything like it, she flew past him--her pace is tremendous," and Dent looked at Tearaway with a sort of awe. "Won easily," said Fred. "Never had to press her. I had the measure of Tristram all the way; I could have raced up to him at any part of the spin. Look at her now. She doesn't blow enough to put a match out; you can't feel her breathing hardly. She's the best racer I ever put my leg across." "Pic, the St. Leger's in your pocket," said Sir Robert, as he shook him heartily by the hand. CHAPTER XVI HOW HECTOR FOUGHT THE BLOODHOUND The night before Hector was to leave Haverton he sat with his brother and Captain Ben in the study. They had been talking over Tearaway's wonderful trial, and Picton said he should back her to win the biggest stake he had ever gone for. "And you shall have half if she wins, as I feel sure she will," he said to Hector. "You are too good," said Hector; "but I won't refuse it. I may want it. I have a difficult and expensive game to play." "Don't run into danger," said Ben. "I'll avoid it where possible," said Hector. "You have not told us how you escaped from prison," said Picton. "Perhaps it is too painful a subject." "Painful it is, but I fully intended telling you. I may as well do it now. I want to recompense the man on the moor, also Brack, without whose assistance I should not have boarded the _Sea-mew_. I protested but he insisted on taking me there. I thought my presence on board might compromise you. Brack asked me what I would do if you and I changed places and I confessed to myself I would help you to escape."