"Ay, give him his bridle!" said the sly-looking little man; "he can claim a pound for it; but that won't make him right. Look at your saddle-cloth, sir. You will see it has burst and a three-pounds lead gone. You did it at the big water-jump the second time, and I picked it up. Here it is."
Cheer after cheer rent the air as the fact was announced. The soldiers, of course, went almost frantic.
"Here, come away," said Lord Plunger and Bradon, seizing Charley's arm, "Get away as quickly as you can. There will be a row. Your horse has already gone, with seventy or eighty of our men with him. You rode the race splendidly, old fellow!"
"That he did," said the sly-looking little man.
The Captain had lost the race. He was short by two pounds, allowing him one for his bridle. The scene of confusion that followed was indescribable.
Fortescue was taken to the carriage and quickly driven away.
"Ah, Alice!" said he, "I told you I should carry your colours to the fore."
"Thank God you did so! This is your first and last race, promise me."
The Captain went back to Clough-bally-More Castle; but in a day or two he was non est, and his creditors were done.
The regiment had a jovial night of it. Fortescue's health was drunk in bumper after bumper; but he was not there to acknowledge the compliment; some one else had him in charge.