Fellow was trying to 'get on' with
the young one, too. Don't bet with those riff-raff, Berk. The great
bookmakers will make you dead money, and the little Legs will do worse
to you."
The boy hung his head, but looked sulky rather than thankful for his
brother's interference with himself and the welsher.
"You have done the Turf a service, Beauty--a very great service; there's
no doubt about that," said the Seraph. "Law can't do anything, as you
say; opinion must clear the ring of such rascals; a welsher ought not to
dare to show his face here; but, at the same time, you oughtn't to have
gone unsteadying your muscle, and risking the firmness of your hand at
such a minute as this, with pitching that fellow over. Why couldn't you
wait till afterward? or have let me do it?"
"My dear Seraph," murmured Bertie languidly, "I've gone in to-day
for exertion; a little more or less is nothing. Besides, welshers are
slippery dogs, you know."
He did not add that it was having seen Ben Davis taking odds with his
young brother which had spurred him to such instantaneous action with
that disreputable personage; who, beyond doubt, only received a tithe
part of his deserts, and merited to be double-thonged off every course
in the kingdom.
Rake at that instant darted, panting like a hot retriever, out of
the throng. "Mr. Cecil, sir, will you please come to the weights--the
saddling bell's a-going to ring, and--"
"Tell them to wait for me; I shall only be twenty minutes dressing,"
said Cecil quietly, regardless that the time at which the horses should
have been at the starting-post was then clanging from the clock within
the Grand Stand.
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