“They have done us,” said Jack, as he helped himself to a brandy and soda, the materials for which were on the table.
“What do you mean? they have not got at Kildare?”
“Got at him? They have got him,” said Jack, and he told his story.
Very furious did Mr Crotty become as he listened to it; he at once came to the conclusion that Mr Gideon had something to do with it. However, he saw that it would be very difficult to prove any knowledge, and saw that he would have to pay the bets he would lose. They talked for some hours, but were not able to comfort each other or devise any scheme for getting the horse back. Mr Crotty took his loss very well, and did not, as many a man in his place would have done, blame Jack at all for it. He was a somewhat sharp customer, was Mr Crotty, by no means scrupulous when he was dealing with outsiders, but he was straight to his friends, and he really felt as sorry for Jack as for himself, though perhaps his first feeling was bitter anger against Gideon.
“Well, it is no good stopping up all night talking,” he said at last, and he got a mattress and some blankets for Jack.
In the morning Jack was woke up by hearing a cry of triumph from Crotty.
The letter from Gordon had come and Crotty had read it. “We have got ’em,” he cried as he gave the letter to Jack. They were both delighted; the only question was whether the horse would be much the worse for its knocking about. They came to the conclusion that they would chance that, as the note said the horse was all right, and they believed he could win on three legs. “Then leave me to deal with Mr Gideon,” Crotty said as he dressed; “I will take care to come across him this morning.”
That morning it was all over the camp that Bill Bledshaw had jumped Kildare, and great was the consternation amongst the backers of the favourite, and the rejoicing of a section of the Jews who had backed The Pirate. Mr Gideon was afraid that it would be too late to victimise Mr Crotty, though for a minute or two as the latter came into the club, looking by no means out of spirits, he felt a little hopeful.
“Well, how’s The Pirate?” he said to Gideon.
“Fit as he could be. Will you go on laying against him?” answered Gideon.