Blister Jones Part 9

"'No, sir, I do not,' says Brown. 'Nor any other hunter I ever saw.

There might be something in England that would be up to it, but I don't know what it would be--and money wouldn't buy it if I knew.'

"The young chap won't look at the mare no more, 'n' Brown tells me to put her up. I hustles her back to the stall, 'n' goes down to the street door 'n' waits. There's a big gray automobile at the curb, with six guns stickin' out of her side in front--she looks like a battle-s.h.i.+p. Pretty soon the young chap comes out 'n' starts to board her 'n' I braces him.

"'I think I know where you can get the hoss you're lookin' fur,' I says.

"He stares at me kind-a puzzled fur a minute.

"'Oh, yes, you are the man who brought the mare up-stairs,' he says.

'What leads you to believe you can find a hunter good enough to beat Macbeth?'

"'I ain't said nothin' about a hunter,' I says. 'Would you stand fur a ringer?'

"'I think I get your inference,' he says. 'Be a little more specific, please.'

"'If I puts you hep to a hoss that ain't no more a hunter than that automobile,' I says, 'but can run like the buzz-wagon 'n' jump like a hunter--could you use him in your business?'

"'What sort of a horse would that be?' he says.

"'A thoroughbred,' I says. 'A bang-tail.'

"'Oh--a runner,' he says. 'Do you know anything about the runners?'

"'A few,' I says. 'I'm on the track nine years.'

"'What are you doing here?' he says.

"'Ruled off,' I says.

"'Hm-m!' he says. 'What for?'

"'Ringin',' I says.

"'You seem to run to that sort of thing,' he says. 'What's your name?'

he asks.

"'Blister Jones,' I says.

"'Delightful!' he says. 'I'm glad I met you. Who has this remarkable horse?'

"'Peewee Simpson,' I says.

"'Equally delightful! I'd like to meet him, too,' he says.

"'He's in Loueyville,' I says.

"'Regrettable,' he says. 'What's the name of his horse?'

"'Rainbow,' I says.

"'And I thought this was to be a dull day,' he says. 'Jump in here and take a ride. I don't know that I care to go rainbow-chasing a.s.sisted by Blisters, and Peewees--but nefarious undertakings have always appealed to me, and I desire to cultivate your acquaintance.'

"We goes fur a long ride in the battle-s.h.i.+p. He don't say much--just asks questions 'n' listens to my guff. At last I opens up on the Rainbow deal, 'n' I tries all I know to get him goin'--I sure slips him some warm conversation.

"'You heard what Brown said of Macbeth!' he says. 'Why are you so certain this Rainbow can beat him in a steeplechase?'

"'Why, listen, man!' I says. 'This Rainbow is the best ever. He can beat any brush-topper now racin' if the handicapper don't overload him.

_He's_ been coppin' where they race your eyeb.a.l.l.s off. _He's_ been makin' good against the real thing. _He's a thoroughbred_! If _he_ turns in one of these here parlor races fur gents, with a bunch of hunters, _they won't know which way he went_!'

"'The runners I have seen are all neck and legs. They don't look like hunters at all,' he says.

"'You're thinkin' about these here flat-shouldered sprinters,' I says.

'This Rainbow is a brush-topper. He's got a pair of shoulders on _him_ 'n' he's the jumpin'est thoroughbred ever I saw. Course he's rangier 'n most huntin'-bred hosses, but with a curb to put some bow in his neck, he'll pa.s.s fur a hunter anywhere!'

"'There is one sad thing I haven't told you,' he says. 'I must ride the horse myself.'

"'What's sad about that?' I says. 'You ain't much over a hundred 'n'

forty, at a guess.'

"'The trouble is not with my weight--it's my disposition,' he says. 'I have not ridden for ten years. In fact I never rode much. To tell you the truth--I'm afraid of a horse.'

"Say--I'd liked that young chap fine till then! I think he's handin' me a josh at first.

"'You're kiddin' me, ain't you?' I says.

"'No,' he says. 'I'm not kidding you. I've fought my fear of horses since I was old enough to think. Lately it has become necessary for me to ride, and I'm going to do it--it it kills me!'

"We were back to my joint by this time 'n' he looks at me 'n' laughs.

"'Cheer up!' he says. 'I'll think over what you told me and let you know. I go over to Philadelphia to-morrow to race in a "buzz-wagon," as you call it. I don't want you to think me entirely chicken-hearted--and I'll take you with me, if Brown can spare you.'

"The next day he shows up in the battle-s.h.i.+p.

"'Blister,' he says, 'I don't know just how far I'll be willing to go in the affair, but if you can get Rainbow, I'll buy him.'

"'Now you've said somethin',' I says. 'Head fur the nearest telegraph office 'n' I'll wire Peewee.'

"'They're likely to ask a stiff price fur this hoss,' I says when we gets to the telegraph office.

"'Buy him,' he says.

"'_Do you mean the sky's the limit_?' I says, 'n' he nods.

"We cross on the ferry after sendin' the wire. He has the battle-s.h.i.+p under wraps till we hit the open country, 'n' then he lets her step. We gets to goin' faster 'n' faster. I can't see, 'n' I think my eyebrows have blowed off. I'm so scared I feel like my stumick has crawled up in my chest, but I hopes this is the limit, 'n' I grits my teeth to keep from yelpin'. Just then we hits a long straight road, 'n' what we'd been doin' before seemed like backin' up. I can't breathe 'n' I can't stand no more of it.

"'Holy cats!' I yells. 'Cut it!'

"'What's the matter?' he says, when he's slowed down.