"Is there any way that we could frame up and get him ruled off?" asked Porter. "The ruling wouldn't stand," said Johnson. "Curry has got too many friends higher up, and if we should try it and fall down it would give the track a black eye. The sucker horsemen would be leery of us." "If any framing is to be done," announced McManus, "count me out now. You fellows know Grouchy O'Connor? Him and Engle framed on Curry till they were black in the face, and what did it get 'em? Not a nickel's worth! You've got to admit that Al Engle was smart as they make 'em, but O'Connor tells me that Curry made Al look like a selling-plater: had him outguessed at every turn on the track. Let Curry run his horses, and our boys will take care of the little nigger." "That Elisha is quite a horse," commented Johnson. "If they take care of him, they'll go some." "What's the use of worrying about Elisha?" asked McManus. "Curry hasn't started him yet at the meeting. He's trying to pick up some dough with Elijah and Isaiah and the others. They ain't so very much." "Well, Elijah would have been right up there to-day if it hadn't been for a little timely interference now and then." Johnson grinned broadly as he spoke. "A little timely interference!" ejaculated Wilson. "The boys did everything to that horse but knock him over the fence!" "And the judges didn't see a thing!" chuckled Johnson. "Say, let's get down to business!" said Porter. "What I want to know is this, Johnson: when are you going to cut loose with Zanzibar? You said we'd all be in with that; there'll be a sweet price on him, and we ought to clean up." "Zanzibar is about ready," answered Johnson. "You'll know in plenty of time, and he's a cinch." "And nobody knows a thing about him," said McManus. "Good reason why," laughed Porter. "That's a pretty smart trick: working him away from the track." "It's the only thing to do," said Johnson. "Zanzibar is a nervous colt, and if I worked him on the track with the other horses he'd go all to pieces. That's why I have Dutchy take him out on a country road and canter him. It keeps him from fretting before a race." "How fast can he step the three-quarters?" asked Wilson. "Fast enough to run shoes off of anything around here," said Johnson. "You needn't worry about that. We won't have to put him up against the best, though. Zanzibar didn't do anything last season, and he's bound to get a price in almost any kind of a race." "You're sure he's under cover?" "If he ain't under cover, a horse never was. He gets his work before sunrise, and at that most of it is just cantering. I've set him down, though, and I know what he can do." "It sounds all right," admitted McManus. "Where do we bet this money?" demanded Porter.