Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday g'lanced up the course. "Guess, I'll have to get moving, for here, comes old Sleepy. He doesn't uiidei-stand girls. Babe; all he thinks about are his horses." ' Wally Weber, who had been loung- ing back in his car with half-closed eyes, •suddenly decided that the two young people had had long enough alone to- gether. There was something of im- portance that he wanted to say, and ho had better make it s^iappy as Sleepy Vvas stalking down the rails. "'Morning, Buddy!" he greeted the jockey. "Uid you enjoy yourself last night—did Sleepy catch you?" "Not last night, but he was mighty suspicious because I was so sleepy this morning," Buddy answered. "Sleepy's been a I'eal pest these last few weeks, shadowing me all over the place and giving me long lectures." "Buddy, if you ever get fed up riding for Blake let me know," Wally Weber said with great seriousness. "I'm the last one to lure a jockey away from a good owner, but sometimes an employer can overstep the mark. If you want a job as leading jockey in the Webei stables, with as much liberty as you like, then let me know." "Mighty nice of vou, Mr. Weber." "Not at all!"' Weber chuckled. "Guess one young lady would be tickled if you joined up with us." "I'd stay on for the rest of the season," came the inviting answer from the girl. "I might even buy a horse myself and you could ride it for me. It would be fun !" "Shush, children!" cautioned Weber. "Here comes Sleepy, and he looks like murdering someone." Sleepy Jones was in a bad temper. He never showed siiiy signs of affection for a iier.son. but Budily was his sjjecial protege. He had taught the boy all he knew for the last five years, and it made him mad to see Budd3' going off the rails for a girl. "Maloncy." siuirled Sleepy to the jockey by his side, "give SixShooter a canter—twice round the course, and I'll time you over the last mile." Buddy gave over the horse to IVJaloncy, and stared at Sleepy in a puzzled fashion. What was the idea in Maloney exercising Six- . Shooter ? "What's the idea. ■Sleepy'?" Buddy dc . manded as Maloney cantered away. " I was just going to " "Yeah, you was just going to do some- thing." sneered the trainer. " You came here to do a timed mile, but you changed yer mind. And why '!' " Because Miss Elli> hailed me," Buddy cried angrily. "I liad to stop anti sj)eak lo her." "Oh, yeah? 1 sup- pose if .someone called yer in the middle of a race you'd stop and say a few word.s." Sleepy guffawed at his own wit. "You ain't hero to do a lot of talk- ing, but to ride liorses. Pop Blake ain't satis- fied with your riding, so lio's* giving Maloney a try-out." BOY'S CINEMA "What, Maloney ride Six-Shooter in the big race?" gasped Buddy. Wally Weber smiled quietly at the girl, who looked anxious «ind disturbed. "Yeah, maybe. We gotta have a jockey what keeps regular hours and don't stay out jazzing around in road- houses." Sleepy was so worked up he went a shade too far with his bluff. "Fooling around with stage dames and drinking cheap liquor. Tliey don't care two hoots about you, and you're so dumb you can't see it." "How dare you!" flared the girl. "Yes, how dare you!" shouted Buddy, clenching his fists. "You put them pin-cushions away." Sleepy showed his teeth. "One swipe from me, and you'd go to sleep for a week." "You're crazy, acting this way," Buddy shouted. "Do you know that Mr. Weber has offered me a contract as his leading jockey, but I turned it down." "Take it, I .shan't cry." scoffed the trainer. "If Mister Weber likes to have a jockey what goes to bed at two in tlie morning and don't do any train- ing, then that's his funeral. Ah, here conies Maloney." He took out a watch. "And he ain't half making the crittur move." "If you like to join up you can come and sign a contract right now." whis- pered Wally Weber. "Buddy, it's your chance to make big money." "Don't miss the chance," Sleep}' spoke over his shoulder. "Don't ex- pect us to spill any tears over you. VVhat you want is a darned good lick- ing. Pah. you make me sick !" . "I'll sign right now !" Buddy flamed up. "Let's go across to your oflTice. Mister Weber." "Oh. Buddy, I'm so glad!" Babe clutched at the youngster's arm. "I'm sure you're being wise. Uncle Wally will let us have a whoopee night to celebrate." Sleepv .Tones >,-i-,it, hed 1,1, Lead ,ind 11 stared after the big car a^ it purred away. "Reckon I piled it on too strong. Guess I've put the boss in a jam. Guss all girls and toads like Weber, Mayl>e Buddy will think better of it and not sign,"' But when a beautiful girl plays the part of a magnet then may a man make a mistake. Buddy Doyle signed after naming one condition—that ho should not ride till after the Gold Cup. Wally Weber |>alted his new recruit assuringly on the shoulder. "That's okay. Haven't I got Speed Martin riding? So I couldn't possibly want you. Off you two young people go and enjoy yourselves." And when they had gone Wally Weber picked up the 'phono and got through to hi.s stables: "Send .Speed Martin to me at once. Tell him it's urgent." Trickery. Bl^DDY nOYJ.E was not happy, even though Babe Ellis told him that she loved him and no one else in the world. Most of the jockeys in Weber's stables were not bad sort of chaps, and though they were friendly enough Buddy fi-lt they despised him. Wouldn't they have quit on a trainer who called them nasty names? But even that reasoning did not quite ap- pease Buddy's con.science. Pop Blake had been a good master, and just be- cause of a girl Buddy had left. Ho missed Sleepy and his wise-cracks. The next day he ran into the trainer and the hitter's sneering laugli made hi.s blood boil, but Babe was with him, .so he let the taunt pass. Another thing that worried Buddy was Six-Shooter. The jockey had a real affection for the horse, and ho knew that the hor.se would answer to his jockeyship better than to that of Maloney. Six-Shooter was just like a bullet when Buddy chai\ted hi.s " Whoop-te-do !" Could Maloney ride the horse well enough to beat Weber's I've just got a message—I'm to ride Rosedawn ! " Buddy thrust aside the men. '•' I can't ride the horse, Mr Weber I " September &tb, 1931.