"'_Sell him_?' I says. 'You must be drunk! Why, he don't bring a ten
case note. Everybody's hep he's a bolter. Now listen! This is a real
good colt, 'n' I know it; but the bunch don't. That boy of mine can
ride him. If you gives the colt another chance with my boy up, he
shows 'em somethin'. Then you can get a price fur him.'
"'Do what you like with him,' says Ike. 'But I don't pay out another
simoleon on him! I'm through right now!'
"'Give me half what he wins his next out 'n' _I'll_ take a chance with
him,' I says.
"'You're on,' says Ike. 'But you pay the entrance.'
"'Surest thing you know,' I says, 'n' goes over to the stalls.
"In two weeks there's to be a handicap fur two-year-olds. It's worth
three thousand to the winner. It's the best baby race at the meetin'.
Hamilton'll come in awful light 'n' he'll get five pounds apprentice
allowance fur Micky; but it'll put a big crimp in my roll to pay the
entrance. I studies over it some 'n' I gets cold feet. It takes three
hundred bones to sit in. I've about decided it's too rich fur my
blood, when next work-out day comes 'n' Hamilton works four furlongs,
with Micky up, like a cyclone. That gets my circulation goin' 'n' I
takes a shot at it.
"'Who's burning this up on the ten mile wonder?' says the sec. to me,
when I'm payin' the entrance. 'The work seems a little coarse for my
old friend Ike.'
"'I'm Smiling Faces this load of poles,' I says.
"'Why, Blister,' says the sec.
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