"Yes, but in previous years they had trouble with gate-crashers. Some bright sparks who took out horses that didn't belong to them, when their owners didn't intend to run them. Had a free jaunt on them, and in at least one case broke the already tired horse down."
"All right. Where is the book?"
"In the weighing-room place. I'll look after Chevron till you come back. No need to take her into that melee."
In the little office, sitting behind the desk, was Colonel Smollett.
"Well, young Ashby, your family has been doing very well to-day, eh? Three firsts, no less. Are you going to add a fourth? Book? What book? Oh, the paper. Yes, yes. Here it is."
Brat, signing the single sheet of paper that was presented to him, said that he had never heard of this procedure.
"Probably not. Never heard of it myself. But it does insure the show against loss to a certain extent. That fellow whose horse was ridden unbeknownst to him last year, he sued the Show for damages. Very nearly got them, too. So your brother suggested this method of insurance."
"My brother? Simon suggested it?"
"Yes. Got a head on him, Simon. Now no one can say that his horse was pulled out without his permission."
"I see."