Cool as a cucumber after the longest pipe-opener; licks his oats up to the last grain; leads the whole string such a rattling spin as never was spun but by a Derby cracker before him.

It's almost a pity," said Willon meditatively, eyeing his charge, the King, with remorseful glances.
"Prut-tush-tish!" said his companion, with a whistle in his teeth that ended with a "damnation!" "It'll only knock him over for the race; he'll be right as a trivet after it.

What's your little game; coming it soft like that, all of a sudden?
You hate that ere young swell like p'ison." "Aye," assented the head groom with a tigerish energy, viciously consuming his bit of straw.

"What for am I--head groom come nigh twenty years; and to Markisses and Wiscounts afore him--put aside in that ere way for a fellow as he's took into his service out of the dregs of a regiment; what was tied up at the triangles and branded D, as I know on, and sore suspected of even worse games than that, and now is that set up with pride and sich-like that nobody's woice ain't heard here except his; I say what am I called on to bear it for ?": and the head groom's tones grew hoarse and vehement, roaring louder under his injuries.

"A man what's attended a Duke's 'osses ever since he was a shaver, to be put aside for that workhus blackguard! A 'oss had a cold--it's Rake what's to cure him.