Sarah noticed one of these
stealthy backward glances and a look of anger crossed her face, and
calling to William she asked him when the sweepstakes money would be
divided. The question startled William from a reverie of small bets, and
he answered that there was no reason why the sweepstakes money should not
be divided at once.
"There was twelve. That's right, isn't it?--Sarah, Margaret, Esther, Miss
Grover, Mr. Leopold, myself, the four boys, and Swindles and Wall....
Well, it was agreed that seven should go to the first, three to the
second, and two to the third. No one got the third 'orse, so I suppose the
two shillings that would have gone to him 'ad better be given to the
first."
"Given to the first! Why, that's Esther! Why should she get it?... What do
you mean? No third! Wasn't Soap-bubble third?"
"Yes, Soap-bubble was third right enough, but he wasn't in the sweep."
"And why wasn't he?"
"Because he wasn't among the eleven first favourites. We took them as they
were quoted in the betting list published in the _Sportsman_."
"How was it, then, that you put in Silver Braid?"
"Yer needn't get so angry, Sarah, no one's cheating; it is all above
board. If you don't believe us, you'd better accuse us straight out."
"What I want to know is, why Silver Braid was included?--he wasn't among
the eleven first favourites.
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