"Oh, my poor darling!" groaned the doctor. "Whatever shall I do? If I got him a dose he wouldn't be fit to ride. Coming, Hilt?" he said calmly. "Yes, directly, Jack. Let's see. I must be quite cool and steady, and not fidget the mare. It's a safe thing, and as soon as I've won this race I'll be tempted no more, Jack, but settle down with the wife--bless her! She means well, Jack. This coup will make me independent, and balance matters. I shall take my position then, you see, and not feel so poverty-stricken--asking one's wife for every sov." "I see. Come along," said the doctor. "If I could only get him out into the air. I daren't give him more drink." "Don't hurry me," said Sir Hilton, coolly rearranging his silk and pulling up his breeches. "I want you to understand, Jack. I'm doing this for independence, to save dear Lady T.--bless her! A good woman. Always been like a sister to me. Jolly little widow! And to make a pile for you, old man, so that you can marry her, have two children, and live happy ever after like a good boy." "Yes, that's it, Hilt, old man," cried the doctor, desperately, for the clanging of a bell on the racecourse came faintly to his ear. "Come along, then, and win. Quick!" He caught his old friend by the arm to get him out at all hazards; but it was like touching a spring which set free a lid in the poor fellow's brain. For, with a fierce cry--which brought the perspiration out in great drops over the trainer's face where he listened and watched--Sir Hilton began rushing about the hall again, cutting and slashing furiously. "Here they are again," he cried; "thousands--millions of them. B-r-r-r-r-r-r! Sets my head on fire. Keep off, you little imps. There, there, and there! Hah!" he cried at last, dropping breathlessly into a chair. "Br! I was too much for them," he said, laughing weakly. "Rather queer, though, for them to choose a race day to swarm. But-- I've got to win, and I mean to." "Here, Hilt, old chap," said Granton, who as a last resource had determined to try a hair of the dog which had bitten his friend, and he drained three-parts of a glass of the champagne into one of the glasses, and was offering it to his friend--"tip this drop off and come on." The words acted like magic. Sir Hilton started up and dashed the wine aside. "What!" he cried. "Do you think I'm mad? Drink at a time like this? No, sir!" "No, dear; wait here," cried Syd, outside. "I'll join you again directly I've found him," and Syd rushed in breathlessly. "Who's that?" cried Sir Hilton. "Oh, there you are, uncle! Hooray! You look splendid. The winning colours. Hooray! I've got on that tenner." "Here, Syd," cried Sir Hilton, catching the boy by the arm and whispering mysteriously, "can you hear the bees?" "Hear the what?" cried the boy, staring. "The bees; they're coming back--swarming. Buzz--buzz--buzz! Listen! There they go!"