The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-04-30

istio of the most thoroughbred horses
that distinguish themselves on a race
course.
And now the pair come striding along
towards the knoll, where they are pulled
up.
go kind?" inquiries Mr.. Pycroft.
"Nice 'oss to ride-can put him any
where" observes Jim, sententiously.
Walk 'em about a bit, while we get
the saddle cloths ready"
Jim and the boy duly go into the scale.
Another muttered conversation between
Pycroft and his master; then the saddles
were removed, the loaded cloths carefully
adjusted, the saddles replaced over them,
the long surcingles passed carefully over,
and Coriander and Loadstone were ready
for their trial.
"Give them their orders, Martin, and
then come here and see it. Mind, theyre
to start from the three-quarter-of-a-mile
post. Who's to start 'em"
"All right, sir; l told William to come
back, and here he is. You go down with
'em, Will. Bush in, mind. Here, Jim.
you ride the old horse, of course, this
time. Get off, and come right along. l
don't mean ride his head off, but take the
lead, and keep it."
"All right !" And Jim walked the grey
l~eisurely down alongside William, to the
starting post.
Nov, look here, boy" said Mr.. Py-
croft, advancing to the STRIPPING who was
on Coriander; you have IN idea of rid
ing, you have. Now, don't go and make
an exhibition of yourself this morning.
Mind, if you do it here, 1 shall take care
you don't get much chance of doing it in
public. Attend to what l say to you.
Get off as well as you can. Jim's pretty
safe to do you there; but, even if he
don't, mind, you're to wait on him till you
come to the quarter-mile post from home.
You know it. Run up to him then. But,
whatever Jim does, whether he begins rid
ing or whether he doesn't, you're not
to begin in earnest till within fifty yards
of home. I'll forgive you if you wait
too long, and lose it that way but if you
come too soon and ride him to a stand
still, we shan't want you for light-weights
| at Newmarket or anywhere else"
The lad walked his horse after Load
stone with a very serious face. Like all
boys in a racing stable, of course the
height of his ambition was to become a
jockey. He was not a little proud of
being in charge of such a celebrity as
C%oriander. For, be it known to the unin-
itiated that every race horse in a big sta
BILE is looked after by his own boy, and
that these boys, when their horse is one
of distinction, are immensely proud of
him. They groom him, ride him at exer-
cise-in short, almost live with him.
Coriander was the first crack that had
fallen to young Aliens care, and he firm
ly believed such a flyer never existed.
Now-anxious moment he was to ride
him in his trial. He looked even at that
as a great rise in his profession. 1t is
true he had ridden in two or three trials
before, but then he had generally been on
something that had had no earthly chance
to win. Suppose he should make a mess
of it this morning; Mr.. Pycroft would
never give him another chance, perhaps.
No wonder the boy looks rather seri-
GUS. Butothey are at the post. A couple
of false starts take place, in consequence
of young Aliens eagerness to get well off.
stop a bit, young 'un,' said Jim,
lduSuluS UC y III SICdOy. NAAAu, IL
amt a race, and l won't want to get
the best of you. 1 only want to get away
fair. How a starter would walk down
your throat if you carried on like this ~
The remonstrance had the desired effect,
and the next time they were away, Jim
having a little the best of it, though not
much. Once off, the boys nerves stead
led directly. He waited patiently till he
came to the quarter post, and then ran
up abreast of Loadstone. Locked togeth-
er, they went for the next two hundred
yards, and then Jim began what is term
ed in racing p~arlance "%6ddling" at his
horse; it means riding him a little. He
drew near a length ahead, but the boy
sat still. "Wait till within fifty yards
of home, whatever Jim does," he mutter.
ed, "and I will, if I'm beat for it."
A few strides more, and he saw that
Loadstone could hardly hold the lead he
had obtained. Gradually he was creep
ing up to him again, though still quiet on
his horse. A little more, and Jim began
to ride his horse in earnest, and this was
the hardest trial the boy had undergone
vet. For a moment Jim forged ahead
and looked like leaving him altogether
CneQ ne seemed 10 uduX anu now surely
he was within fifty yards of home. Was
he? Yes! He sat Town and shook ur
Coriander, passed Jim easily, and went
past the knoll a couple of lengths in
front.
you'll do, young 'un," said Jim. good
naturally, as they pulled up their horses
Don't quite know what orders you got
but can pretty well guess. You stick as
close to what you're told to do, and keel
your head as cool as you did this time
and you'll find yourself first past the
post at EPSON some of these days."
We'll, Martin, / think that1l abou,
do" laughed Pearman, as the trial fin
ished. ut will be a good horse that ha.
the best of Coriander three weeks from
this"
F eyes, sir; he's better even than
thought he was, and I know I haven
|, worked him up to his best yet. I've M
r fear of his not going on well, for I never
/, trained a better constitutional colt in m,
. life and though we didn't try him quit
l the full distance this morning, I've n,
lo,1k L. -ok:-- H. D@-1.- AEsY