clothes?" Penelope whispered to him.

"Without a doubt," he answered. "I will go and change in a few minutes."

"We start in half an hour," Somerfield remarked. "Even that allows us
none too much time."

"Perhaps," the Duke suggested diffidently, "you would like to ride
over, Prince? It is a good eleven miles, and you would have a chance of
getting into your stride."

The Prince shook his head.

"No," he said, "I should like to motor with you others, if I may."

"Just as you like, of course," the Duke agreed. "Grace's mare is over
there now. We shall be able to have a look at her before the race, at
any rate."

The opinions, after the Prince had left the table, were a little divided
as to what was likely to happen.

"For a man who has never even hunted and knows nothing whatever about
the country," Somerfield declared, "to attempt to ride in a steeplechase
of this sort is sheer folly. If you take my advice, Lady Grace, you will
get out of it. Lady Barbarity is far too good a mare to have her knees
broken."

"I am perfectly content to take my risks," Lady Grace answered
confidently. "If the Prince had never ridden before in his life, I would
trust him."

Somerfield turned away, frowning.

"What do you think about it, Penelope?" he asked.

"I am afraid," she answered, "that I agree with Grace."

Two punctures and a leaking valve delayed them over an hour on the road.
When they reached their destination, the first race was already over.

"It's shocking bad luck," the Duke declared, "but there's no earthly
chance of your seeing the course, Prince. Come on the top of the stand
with me, and bring your glasses. I think I can point out the way for
you."

"That will do excellently," the Prince answered. "There is no need to go
and look at every jump. Show me where we start and as near as possible
the way we have to go, and tell me where we finish."

The course was a natural one, and the stand itself on a hill. The
greater part of it was clearly visible from where they stood. The Duke
pointed out the water jump with some trepidation, but the Prince's
glasses rested on it only for a moment. He pointed to a clump of trees.

"Which side there?" he asked.

"To the left," the Duke answered. "Remember to keep inside the red
flags."

The Prince nodded.

"Where do we finish?" he asked.

The Duke showed him.

"That is all right," he said. "I need not look any more."

In the paddock some of the horses were be