Jack put him at it again, and gave him the spur, digging the rowels deep into his flanks, while he lashed him with the whip.
With a snort of mingled rage and pain, the horse rushed at the jump and cleared it; but he was docile no longer, for he dashed away in a manner which showed that he meant to have his own way.
"Go it, my beauty!" muttered Jack, "we'll soon see who is master."
Warrior was not at all backward in accepting this challenge, and made the running in fine style, taking leap after leap like a deer.
It required a strong hand and a quick eye to manage him. Jack's arms felt as if they would be pulled out of their sockets, but he kept his seat in the saddle as if he had grown there.
The course was a circular one. Two-thirds of the way round was an artificially-constructed water-jump, a hole having been dug, about twenty-five feet wide by forty feet long and ten deep. Owing to recent rain this formidable leap was full of water.
A large crowd had collected here, anticipating some sport, for it was correctly surmised that many horses would either refuse it or throw their riders.
Jack had not been over the course, which was a great disadvantage to him, yet he saw the gleam of the water and prepared for it. The black horse was leading, and behind it was a strong Kentucky bay.
Both cleared the water-jump successfully.
Jack now passed the fourth horse, which had weakened visibly. The third horse fell at the water-jump, breaking his rider's collar-bone and injuring itself so that it had to be shot.