en Diablo did carry his full weight," commented Crane, a light
breaking in upon him.

"Just about, and carried it like a stake horse, too."

"And you--"

"Yes; I changed the saddles after Westley weighed. He's a good boy, and
don't shoot off his mouth much, but all the same things will out while
ridin' boys have the power of speech."

"It looks as though Diablo had something in him," said Crane,
meditatively.

"He's got the Brooklyn in him. Fancy The Dutchman in at seventy pounds;
that's what it comes to. Diablo's got ninety to carry, an' he gave the
other twenty pounds to-day. You've got the greatest thing on earth right
in your hands now--"

Langdon hesitated for a minute, and then added: "But I guess you knew
this all before, or you wouldn't have sent him here."

"I bought him for a bad horse," answered Crane, quietly; "but if he
turns out well, that's so much to the good. But it's a bit of luck
Porter's not having declared him out to save nearly a hundred. He seems
to have raced pretty loose."

"I wonder if he thinks I'm taking in that fairy tale?" thought Langdon.
Aloud, he said: "But you'll back him now, sir, won't you? He must be a
long price in the winter books."

"Yes; I'll arrange that," answered the other, "and I'll take care of
you, too. I suppose Westley will take the mount?"

"Surely."

"Well, you can just give him to understand that he'll be looked after if
the horse wins."

"It's the Brooklyn, sir, is it?"

"Seems like it."

"I won't say anything about the race to Westley, though."

"I'll leave all that to you. I'll attend to getting the money on; you do
the rest."

When Crane had gone, Langdon paid further mental tribute to his master's
astuteness. "Now I see it all," he muttered; "the old man just thought
to keep me quiet; throw me of the scent till he duplicated the other
trial, whenever they pulled it off. Now he's got a sure line on the
Black, an' he'll make such a killin' that the books'll remember him for
many a day. But why does he keep throwin' that fairy tale into me
about buyin' a bad horse to oblige somebody? A man would be a sucker to
believe that of Crane; he's not the sort. But one sure thing, he said
he'd look after me, an' he will. He'd break a man quick enough, but when
he gives his word it stands. Mr. Jakey Faust can look after himself:
I'm not goin' to take chances of losin' a big stable of bread-winners by
doublin' on the Boss."

Langdon's mental analysis of C