'I'll swear I saw him last week, and where should he be located around here if not at Barker's Creek?'

'That man's a murderer,' said Adye Dauntsey. 'How he got off with only fifteen years the lord only knows. How quickly time flies. Are you quite sure, Jim, you have made no mistake?'

'Certain. I know him. Haven't I fought him and beaten him? The look he gave me as we pa.s.sed each other was quite enough.'

'This shall be attended to,' said Dauntsey. 'Machinson must inquire into it. He cannot know anything about it.'

'He ought to,' said Jim. 'It is more his business than mine.'

There was a shout outside, and Dr Tom went to the door.

'Come in, Shaw,' he said.

Rodney Shaw entered the room and, after greeting them, said--

'What's up with the jockey? He does not look very well.'

'No, and you would not look any better if you had had a crack on the head last night,' blurted out Jim.

'Was he hurt? Who did it?' asked Shaw.

'That's what I would like to find out,' said Jim.

'Will he be able to ride?' asked Shaw, anxiously.

'Yes,' said Willie, 'and win too.'

Rodney Shaw laughed.

'Don't be too sure, my lad. You have Distant Sh.o.r.e to beat, and The Captain, and a dozen more.'

'And I shall beat them all. It is my first race, and I am going to win it.'

Dr Tom had seen Rodney Shaw several times, but did not know him well.

Something in his voice seemed to recall memories. He had only been to Cudgegong three or four times, and had never seen much of the owner of that station. 'Where the deuce have I met him, years ago?' thought Dr Tom.

Of course it could only be fancy, he knew that, but still he could not get rid of the idea that Rodney Shaw was a man he had known in days gone by.

'You think Distant Sh.o.r.e will win?' asked Adye Dauntsey.

'Yes. With Madsley up, I have a really good chance.'

'It promises to be a most interesting race,' said Dr Tom.

'The handicap is not bad considering the committee framed it,' said Shaw.

'I think they have done their work well,' said the doctor. 'Do you think it could have been improved upon?'

'Oh, no, I would not suggest that for a moment,' said Rodney Shaw. He was looking hard at Willie, who sat very still with his hands fixed firmly one on each arm of his chair.

'He'll ride but he'll never win,' was Rodney Shaw's inward comment. 'He must be a plucky little chap'--this he thought grudgingly.

CHAPTER XVII

AT THE POST

Swamp Creek race-course was not an attractive place, nor was it an ideal ground for the purpose. The track was somewhat uneven, and only a mile round, so that for the cup race the horses had to compa.s.s it twice. It was, however, a track that gave the people a good chance of seeing every part of the race, and they could thus watch the struggle with the keenest interest.

At a comparatively early hour the course was crowded with a large number of vehicles of all descriptions, from the smart buggy to the more humble ramshackle which hardly seemed capable of holding together. There was an improvised ring, but no stand, and in these railed-off enclosures the bulk of the wagering took place.

The first two races were not of much interest, and as Abe Dalton won one he was sanguine of The Captain taking the cup. The bulk of the people present would have been sorely disappointed had The Captain won, for Abe Dalton's character was well known, and he was decidedly unpopular and looked askance upon by honest folk.

Half an hour before the cup race the scene was animated, not to say picturesque, and the excitement was worked up to fever pitch. There were fourteen runners, and each horse had followers who backed their fancy freely. Aaron Hyam was busy pencilling wagers down almost as fast as he could write, and his son, with numerous a.s.sistants, was equally busy at the booth; so it was evident the host of the Gum Tree Hotel was in for a good day. He avoided laying much against Neptune, and was standing Jim Dennis's horse to win a good stake.

Abe Dalton was anxious about Willie Dennis, and he was surprised when he saw him on the course, apparently sound and well and very little the worse for the cowardly attack made upon him.

Considering it was a country meeting, the horses running for the cup were a credit to the district. It was a genuine sporting affair, and the rivalry was keen, and each runner might be depended upon to do its best.

The difficulty was in procuring riders, and some of them were not likely to make a brilliant display in the saddle. Still, they all meant to win if possible, which is not always the case at more fashionable gatherings.

When Willie Dennis donned his new yellow jacket and red cap he felt proud, and walked about the ring with an amusing air of importance which did not ill become him. His head still ached and at times he felt faint, but he pulled himself together and shook it off, for he knew he must have all his wits about him to win the cup on Neptune. Many curious and inquiring glances followed him, and the ladies smiled upon him, and said he was 'a dear little fellow, and so good-looking.'

Sal was there, but she kept away from the crowd, and her anxiety to see Willie win was almost painful. She knew nothing of the attack made upon him the night before or she would have been still more anxious. She never doubted that he would win, but she wished the race was over.

'How do you feel now, my lad?' said Adye Dauntsey, putting his hand on Willie's shoulder.

'Much better; a little dizzy at times, but it soon pa.s.ses off. I hope I shall be all right in the race, at any rate I shall try my best.'

'I hope you will win,' said Adye Dauntsey, 'both for your own sake and your father's.'

'I think I shall,' he replied. 'Have you backed Neptune?'

'Yes, I have a fiver on with Hyam, but he would not lay me more than six to one.'

'Which horse is favourite?' asked Willie.

'I should say Distant Sh.o.r.e is as good a favourite as anything,' said Adye Dauntsey; 'and The Captain is second favourite. There are a lot of them backed, such as Wamba, Wattle Tree, Dingo, Reindeer and Scamp, and some people have been tempted by the long odds to put a few pounds on Seaweed, Mr Shaw's second string. I suppose he will make the running for Distant Sh.o.r.e. You must not let him steal a march on you and get too far ahead; there's many a race lost in that way.'

'I'll take good care of that,' said Willie, smiling. 'I know Neptune can stay every yard of the two miles, so I shall not hesitate to make good use of him.'

Ben Madsley came up wearing the green jacket and white cap, which were Rodney Shaw's first colours, a black cap denoting which was the second string.

'Well, youngster, do you fancy yourself for this race? I think I shall beat you. Your father ought to have let me ride Neptune; it would have been a good thing then.'

'It is not a bad thing now,' said Willie; 'and I know how to ride the horse, and he understands me. You'll find we shall be thereabouts at the finish.'