"
"Well, they beat a good many of them, Major Hannay," Miss Hunter
said; "so they did not do so badly after all."
"Oh, no, they did not do so badly; but it will be a long time
before they get over the chaff about their desperate struggle for
the third place."
The next two races attracted but slight attention from the occupants
of the carriage. Most of their acquaintances in the station came up
one after the other for a chat. There were many fresh introductions,
and there was so much conversation and laughter that the girls had
little time to attend to what was going on around them. Wilson and
Richards both sauntered up after changing, and were the subject of
much chaff as to their brilliant riding at the finish. Both were
firm in the belief that the judge's finding was wrong, and each
maintained stoutly he had beaten the other by a good head.
The race for Arabs turned out a very exciting one; the Rajah of
Bithoor's horse was the favorite, on the strength of its performances
elsewhere; but Prothero's horse was also well supported, especially
in the regiment, for the Adjutant was a first class rider, and was
in great request at all the principal meetings in Oude and the
Northwest Provinces, while it was known that the Rajah's horse would
be ridden by a native. The latter was dressed in strict racing
costume, and had at the last races at Cawnpore won two or three
cups for the Rajah.
But the general opinion among the officers of the station was that
Prothero's coolness and nerve would tell.
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