Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

12 Rosedawn ? Yes, he reckoned Muloncy could just about do it, because Speed Miartin was only tenth in the list of winning jockeys for the season. Buddy had expected that Six Shooter would go out from cven:i to five to two wlicn the racing woi hi heard he had quit rid- ing for the Blake stables, but it was a shock when the horse went out to fours, and Rosedawn shortened c;own to two to one. Someone must be putting money on Rosedawn. Buddy tried to forget by being con- stantly in the [jrcsence of Babe Ellis. One morning W^'ber persuade^l him to give Rosi'dawn a gallop as he didn't want to work Martin too hard. With no susi)icion of ulterior motive Buddy was only too pleased to oblige. Then came the day of the great race, and Buddy got a big surjn-iso when Baggott, Weber's trainer, sent him a message. Ho was wanted to ride Rose- dawn as Speed Martin had been hurt in a car accident and taken to hospital. "1 can't race against Six-Shooter," Buddy tohl Babe. "It's out of the iiucstion. I must go and sec Weber at once." "If you rode Rosedawn the horse would \Ain." Babe spoke hesitatingly. " Webor would give you a thousand bucks if you won the Gold Cup." "I don't want his money!" Buddy was almost rude in his perturbation. " I won't ride ! I won't ride ! I'm going to his office to tell him so right now." Wally Weber's olTice was seething with excitement and bustle. Besides being an owner Weber was a gambler. He had backed his own horse hcavilyj but he liad also given out that Rose- dawn would win, and that he would not mind taking any bets on other chal- lengers. That was wliy his 'phones were fairly buzzing, because Weber was offering fives against Six-Shooter. _ "Get in as much as you can before it gets abroad that Martin hcis had an accident.'' He smiled at his trainer. "Good joke that. Won't the fools laugh when they loarn Doyle is riding instoad of Martin." "WiU Doylo make any trouble?" a.sked Baggott. "Buddy can do nothing because Ihero's a clause in the contract that he can't break." He raised one eyebrow as tho sound of an angry voice came fo' them. "If I'm a good guesscr, that will be Master Buddy. Leave this to loe. Fellows "—Weber raised his voice fo attract the attention of several niori busy at 'phones—"better shut down. Tell the operator to say engaged till I'm through with Buddy. VVant your collaboration with the young fool." His voice became a whisper. "You know your stuff. Take your cue—here conies Buddy." Buddy fairly hurled himself into the office. All tin' men were grouped lound Wally's desk. "Darned tough about Speed Martin," Weber was saying. "Still, young Buddy should pull off the race." "I've just got a message I'm to ride Rosedawn." Buddy thrust aside the men. "I can't ride the horse, Mister Weber." "I'm sorryi Buddy; but how was I (o know Martin would get crocked?" Weber shrugged his shoulders. "It's very tough luck on me, but I've backed my hor.se, and I must get my next best jockey to ride." "But we arranged that I shouldn't ride till after the Gold Cup," was the argument. . • "I'm awfully sorry, but this is an eventuality I di<in't Iwirgain for." Wally Webec shook his head. "You'll September 5tli, 1931. BOY'S CINEMA find ill the contract that in a case like this I can call upon you to ride, You see, Burddy, I've got to study my own interests." "Of course you have,- boss." A lean man with a hat on the back of his hoad^it was Baggott. "There's no question about it. You'd bettor not hang around here because time is flying." "Of course Buddy takes out Ro.se- dawn," spoke another man. "But I won't ride against my old stable," shouted Buddy. "It isn't play- ing the game." "Do you want to be suspended?" snapped Weber. "Now, don't talk like a child. Buddy. It is bad luck, but what can I do?" Arguments availed nothing, and at last Buddy went reluctantly to the stables. He saw Wally Weber's argu-i nieiit, but it was darned rough. He tried to ease his conscience by calling it "Fate." But after " weighing-out " Buddy overheard two stable lads talking. " I guess I'm investing a buck on Rosedawn. 'J'hat was a mighty bright idea getting Speed into an accident and making Buddy ride." " Yeah—some accident. I bet Speed ain't in any hospital." Of course, it was a lot of lies, still it sowed the seed of suspicion. Somebody had been backing Rosedawn heavily— who ? Speed JMartin had a bad name on racecourses—was this a frame-up? If Rosedawn had Buddy on its back, would the horse have a better chance ? The jockey knew it would have a better chance. And just when ho was trying to solve all these problems, a familiar growl made him start. "You double-crossing little rat," sneered Sleepy Jones. "So you're going to ride Rosedawn. After all the years I've known you and yor go crooked for a skunk like Weber." "What do you mean by that?" " You knows as well as I do fhat ^fartin ain't had any accident." The bitter contempt made Buddy wince. " I should wave yer hand to him when you canter up to the starting-post." "Martin's not here?" "Oh, childlike innocence—I seed him with my own eyes," Sleepy spat in dis- gust. "He'll be arm-in-arm with'yer two crook friends, Mr. Slimy Weber and ;\Iiss Baby-face." "You're lying to me." Buddy's face was tense. "I ain't that sort, and you knows it." Sleepy turned away. "I hope you're ■satisfied, you dirty little trickster. I suppose you know Pop Blake has a packet on Six-Shooter and that it'll smash him. You'll tell me in a minute that you don't know that Weber has been backing his nag like blazes and laying all bets on Six-Shooter." Buddy Doylo knew then that he had been tricked. A girl's false smile and the cunning of a plausible rogue had easily been too mucli for him. They had tricked him through his vanity and he'd got to stand by then) or He stared after Sleepy as an idea slowly formed. Was his own name worth sacrificing in order to outwit a bunch of crooks and help Pop Blake, who had always sFiown him every kindness? But before he decided anything he would ride close enough to scan the crowd in the grand- stand—Wally Weber always had front row seats. - - Buddy cantered up the course, and one glance was .sufTicieht. Babe Ellis, Wally Weber, and thcS" leering face of Speed Martin. Every Tuesday Buddy's Strange Ride. . BUDDY, could hear the yells of the bookmakers, and above them all came tho price of two horses: " Rosedawn at five to four on, and Sjx- Shooter at sixes." His next interest was Six-Shooter, a^d he noticed tliat the horse was lather<)d with sweat and obviously in a bad con- dition. Maloney was hanging on like grim death and looking obviously scai-ed. Tho man had no control over the creature, and probably Six-Shooter had gone from bad to worse since tho old jockey had gone. A iino-up for the start, and then up went the tapes. Buddy had orders to make the pace, as Baggott was scared with twelve runners that the horse might be shut in —the distance was a mile and two furlongs. At the first bend Buddy, two lengths in front, looked back—Six-Shooter Iwd tailed off last. Buddy set his teeth and slowly began to pull Rosedawn. Wally Weber's smiles of anticipation changed to frowns, and then to rage. The Wasp and Black Knight were level with Rosedawn. The crowd gasped as Rosedawn slithered back into fourth place and seemed to disappear in a bunch of horses. Round the bend and a gasp wont up. The Wasp leading.by two lengths, a. cluster of horses, and three lengths behind were Sii-Shooter and Rosedawn. , " ]My gar, he's framed me!" snarled Weber "I'll ring his neck, the little skunk!" "' You deserve all you get." It wjs tho Babe who spoke." "I'd have never come in on this game if I'd known ho'w low it was. I don't know what Buddy's doing, but I reckon it's grand." J Only Buddy and a horse knew what •■ was happening. Buddy dropped to the tail, and then Maloney heard a rhythmic chant: "Whoop-to do! Whoopte-do!" U Maloney was dull-witted and did not g understand, but Six-Shooter knew. It (» was his beloved master spurring him on. ." The flagging limbs tautened and Six-'_; Shooter became again a champion. %• In a few strides Six-Shooter had j caught up and passed London Wall. " Whoopte-do ! Whoop-te-do!" Like a streak Six-Shooter went past two more stragglers. ^ iSIercilessly Buddy whipped RosedawnB into maintaining the tremendous pace. ^ " Whoopte-do ! Whoop-te-do!" Near- ■ ing the last bend and Six Shooter and. Rosedawn were through, with only; The Wa.'ip and f^incoln in front. The" latter four lengths and The Wasp six<' lenerths ahead. . • The straight with a quarter of a mile* to tho finishing-post, and now Six- Shooter was level with Lincoln. The judge craned his neck from J»« box, the whole crowd craned theirs, and now Wally Wi>ber knew the secret. Buddy was breaking all rules to drive Six-Shooter to victory. " Whoop-te-do ! Whoop-te-do !" panted Buddy, and lashed at Rosedawn, hecau Six-Shooter was tearing over the grou like a mad thing. Past Lincoln and furlong to go-Tho Wasp was a lengti and a half in the lead. "Whoop-te-do! Whoop-te-do! Whoop- te-do!" Buddy felt his kings burst, but he must not fail. .< The judge and the crowd saw. tw« horses racing towards the finish witli, .4 third horse close behind. They could heal- now tho refi;ain: " Whoop-te-dol Whoop-te-do!" • Six-Shooter flashed by the almost run- out Wasp and pas.sed the finishnigpoal an easy winner by two lengths.