But after a while the cloth was gone, and the heads of the two men were brought near together over the small table.  Boodle did not speak a word till his brother captain had told his story, had pointed out all the advantages to be gained, explained in what peculiar way the course lay open to himself, and made the whole thing clear to his friend’s eye.

“They say she’s been a little queer, don’t they?” said the friendly counsellor.

“Of course people talk, you know.”

“Talk, yes; they’re talking a doosed sight, I should say.  There’s no mistake about the money, I suppose?”

“Oh, none,” said Archie, shaking his head vigorously.  “Hugh managed all that for her, so I know it.”

“She don’t lose any of it because she enters herself for running again, does she?”

“Not a shilling.  That’s the beauty of it.”

“Was you ever sweet on her before?”

“What! before Ongar took her?  O laws, no.  She hadn’t a rap, you know; and knew how to spend money as well as any girl in London.”

“It’s all to begin then, Clavvy; all the up-hill work to be done?”

“Well, yes; I don’t know about up-hill, Doodles.  What do you mean by up-hill?”

“I mean that seven thousand a year ain’t usually to be picked up merely by trotting easy along the fiat.  And this sort of work is very up-hill, generally, I take it—­unless, you know, a fellow has a fancy for it.  If a fellow is really sweet on a girl, he likes it, I suppose.”

“She’s a doosed handsome woman, you know, Doodles.”

“I don’t know anything about it, except that I suppose Ongar wouldn’t have taken her if she hadn’t stood well on her pasterns, and had some breeding about her.  I never thought much of her sister—­your brother’s wife, you know—­that is, in the way of looks.  No doubt she runs straight, and that’s a great thing.  She won’t go the wrong side of the post.”

“As for running straight, let me alone for that.”

“Well, now, Clavvy, I’ll tell you what my ideas are.  When a man’s trying a young filly, his hands can’t be too light.  A touch too much will bring her on her haunches, or throw her out of her step.  She should hardly feel the iron in her mouth.  That’s the sort of work which requires a man to know well what he’s about.  But when I’ve got to do with a trained mare, I always choose that she shall know that I’m there!  Do you understand me?”

“Yes; I understand you, Doodles.”

“I always choose that she shall know that I’m there.”  And Captain Boodle, as he repeated these manly words with a firm voice, put out his hands as though he were handling the horse’s rein.  “Their mouths are never so fine then, and they generally want to be brought up to the bit, d’ye see?—­up to the bit.  When a mare has been trained to her work, and knows what she’s at in her running, she’s all the better for feeling a fellow’s hands as she’s going.