The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-07-31

meant to get away absolutely last:
three or four lengths the worst OF the
start would be a good excuse for hav-
ing been beaten.
Abdul couldn't understand it, The
few minutes at the starting post had
always been more or less Of night
mare to him; the sahibs used such bad
language and jOstled 50. He had al
ways started at L tail end OF the pro-
cession. leaving the front seats to the
Jockey sahibs. Now they told him to
move up in front. and were deuced po-
lite to each Other-mOst sacrificing in
keeping their horses in the background.
out OF the other fellows way. The
sahibs were a mighty queer lot any
way, Abdul thought; quite mad, all OF
them.
When the flag fell Abdul cut out the
running with Pegu at a furious clip.
He would stay in front Of the Sahios
as long as he could. Blake took a pull
at Amir's head What are you wait
Ing for?" called out Scotty on Rocket
Il thought it was false start" an
swered Blake, seeing you hanging
back there"
"Oh, the starts all right" said Scotty
angTily. Go on"
"An right, come along then" yelled
Blake, letting so OF Amir's head a lit
tie
They were only cantering; and AL
the time the iron gray Pegu. with this
black boy on his back. was slipping
away from them. People in the stand,
seeing the state Of things, thought II
was false start, and bantered cheer
fully over the idiocy OF the native boy,
81 n
ence." some one said; "Pegu had no
chance anyway"
Tobyn saw the gray opening UP q
wide stretch Of country between him
self and the other two horses and go
ing up TO Larraby congratulated him
upon his perspicacity. by Jove.' he
exclaimed, you're good one at pick
ing them. The-'H never catch Pegu
now. I suppose you've backed him
YOURSELF"
Larraby's face was study, but the
Babe didn't notice this; he never ex-
plored faces.
Down on Amir, Blake was swearing
softly to himself. At last he spoke.
why don't you go on. Scotty? Can.
you see that native slipping away from
US? He's got twenty lengths the best
of It now
I'm ridin' 'cording TO orders" an
swered Scotty suIkily. Go on your
self"
Did the old man order you to
throw the sace away?" queried Blake
petulantly wrenching at Anlir's mouth.
He told me not to throw II away
maxim the runnin' fer you"
While they wrangled their horses
jumped sideways, like a lady's palfrey.
because, their noses being pulled down
on their chests, Abdul was stealing
away into the distance like a soft,
gray shadow. Luckily for him, he
never looked back in any race so long
as he was ahead, but kept pegging
away, like a true native. All the time
he thought the sahibs were at his
heels, ready for a surging rush as they
swept into "the straight And into
''the straight" and still no sign OF the
sahibs. What If his mount should
win! He had put ten rupees on him
with the bookmakers. The odds, 20
to 1. had tempted him; besides, was It
not the horse he was going to ride
and had he not ten rupees OF conf
dence In himself7
A serious problem had opened M for
the other two boys To consider. Be-
cause Of astral communication. Bk4ke
knew that his employer would win ~
Rocket won; and Scotty also knew
that Amir's winning would benent his
master. Also were the jockeys In IL
same boat, because OF arranEeuent.
Then the third factor IN the problem
appeared. or, in point OF fact. was dis
appearing - the native boy on Pegu.
Blake saw this and realized that he
would have to at least save second
money. If Rocket would not 60 on he
would, 80 he set sail for the leader.
Scotty followed They made I'D ground
rapidly. but the gray hung on sur
prisingly. Would they ever catch hirnP
In the stand the excitement was ter
rifle Nobody had backed Pegu-nobody
but the Babe. 1t was the stand against
the Babe. the fast horses against the
dead one, the jockeys against the ma
tive boy. 1t was tragicaIly unique, this
race Of the wise men against the lambs.
Jump by jump Amir and Rocket re-
duced the lead the gray outcast had
Abdul could hear something coming
now - something laundering along
behind him: still far enough away 40
that he need not pull out. as he had al
ways done. 1t was not far to tina win
ming post-would the gray last7 He
thought OF the 200 rupees he would win.
and swore by Allah that he would give
half Of II in charity, II Allah would only
breathe into the nOstrils OF the gray
and fill his lungs with strength.
The two jockeys were riding for sec
ond place now; that was about all they
could see in It. The stand. mad with
excitement. thought they were riding to
win; though It was either rare horse
manship. this waiting race, or elsa
sheer stupidity. II the native won, Z
would be stupidity; II either OF the
Jockeys won, his hackers would label
It splendid hOrsemanship"
1t was stupidity. AS the gray Just
tottered under the wire first. the other
two finished like lions, nose and nose,
in a dead heat for second money. Then
pandemOnium broke loose in the stand.