stables. The men exchanged sly smiles at first, but these smiles soon
turned into grins of admiration. Here was a man who knew a horse from
his oiled hoofs to his curried forelock.

"This fellow ought to jump well," he said, patting the sleek neck of
the hunter.

"He does that, sir," replied the groom. "He has never taken less than
a red ribbon. Only one horse beat him at the bars last winter in New
York. It was Mr. Warburton's fault that he did not take first prize.
He rode him in the park the day before the contest, and the animal
caught a bad cold, sir."

And then it was that this hero of mine conceived his great (not to
say young and salad) idea. It appealed to him as being so rich an
idea that the stables rang with his laughter.

"Sir?" politely inquired the groom.

"I'm not laughing at your statement, my good fellow; rather at an
idea which just occurred to me. In fact, I believe that I shall need
your assistance."

"In what way, sir?"

"Come with me."

The groom followed Warburton into the yard, A conversation began in
low tones.