HALSEY and Palo'mine reached Lexington after three days of leisurely riding. They were dusty and tired, but very happy, or at least Halsey was happy and judging from his actions Palo'mine was happy also. But he simply signified it in horse ways and it needed a horse lover to understand his language. If Halsey dismounted and left him he watched his going until he disappeared in the distance and he was always watching when the boy returned. He usually greeted his master with a glad nicker, which said in horse language "Hello, Master. Here I am. You see I have not even stirred from my tracks since you left."
Often when the boy patted his neck, or smoothed out his foretop and mane, he would go prospecting with his soft nose in the young man's pockets for a lump of sugar.
First, after reaching the city a suitable stable had to be obtained for Palo'mine. As Halsey carried letters of introduction from his uncle to several of the best stablekeepers in the city that was not hard. Yet Halsey did not take the first thing that offered, but searched until he found an ideal stable, for he was more particular about Palo'mine's quarters than about his own. He finally found a clean, well ventilated, sunny stable, not too far from the campus. After having made his beloved horse comfortable Halsey went to the campus and secured his own room at one of the dormitories.
For the first month college life and getting settled took much of the boy's spare time. He had to furnish his room and hang the pictures which had been sent from home. Then he had to get accustomed to his classes and the college curriculum.
It did not take him many days to fall in love with the old college. The campus with its complement of old style buildings, its shade trees, its green lawns, its walks, and promenades, its fountains and shrubbery, and its flower beds became as familiar and much beloved a picture as was the homestead of Eaton Manor.
The student life also was very interesting, the initiations, the fraternities, the rushes, and the rivalry between classes. These all gave the usual zest to Halsey's first few weeks at the college.
But no day was ever so full that the boy did not steal away to the stable and put in some time with Palo'mine. The fine horse was the one connecting link with home. So when the boy was homesick, he would go and tell it all to Palo'mine.
Nor was it all taken out in talk, for they took many a long ride in the late afternoons and even far into the moonlit autumn nights.
Halsey was very much surprised when he finally presented Palo'mine to the trainer to have him laugh and shake his head.
"Oh, he is all right," he said in answer to the boy's surprised look solicitous words. "He is a thoroughbred all right and a beauty. The trouble with him can be easily remedied. He is altogether too fat. He must be stripped to just nerve and muscle for a racer."
"But I don't think he is fat at all," rejoined the boy. "I have always kept him hard and fed him little corn or other fattening grains."
"Oh yes, I suppose so," returned the jockey. "But a racer must be all bone and muscle. There must be nothing superfluous. He must be brought down at least fifty pounds. He ought not to weigh more than a thousand pounds for a race. You see a race horse is just a large greyhound."
"How can we accomplish it?" inquired Halsey.
"Work and plenty of it, and then some," replied the jockey laconically. "Can you stand it, young man? It will be hard work. Work for you both; it will take patience and sweat, but it will pay."
"Sure I can stand it. That is what I am here for."
"Good," replied the jockey, whose name was Jock McBride, "we will get at him at once."
Halsey thought he was used to the saddle and he thought he knew what hard riding was, but the Kentucky jockey soon taught him that he was a novice. Every afternoon when college duties were over Palo'mine and his master were on the road. The jockey would not let them go upon the track for a month. He said that the superfluous fat must be worked off and the muscles hardened before there would be any use of getting down to the real business of developing a racer.
At first they were to do fifteen miles a day under certain conditions, then it was increased to twenty. Then twenty-five and thirty, until finally forty was reached. This long day's work could only be undertaken on Saturday afternoons and then it often took the young man until midnight to complete the trip.
But this work did not interrupt the boy's studies, for it gave him just the needed balance of mental and physical culture. It hardened every sinew in his body and that in turn made his brain work equally well. His thoughts were as clear as the fresh autumn air, and it was a joy to study and master hard problems.
It was a very exciting day when the jockey finally said they would go upon the track and see what Palo'mine could really do.
But even then he was not put under a watch, for there was much technique of the race to be mastered, especially the start which is very important in a running race.
If a horse gets ten or twenty feet at the start, provided the horses are all equally good, he wins. Twenty feet at one point in the race are just as good as twenty at another. So the start is very important.
The jockey would stand with the flag in his hand, and when he dropped it they were off. Halsey hated to strike Palo'mine with the quirt to give him the signal, but the spirited horse soon learned that he was to strike his best pace at one stride once the signal was given, so it was not necessary to more than flick him after a little.
At first they worked out on half a mile. When the jockey held the watch on Palo'mine for the first time he was rather pleased, as he did it in fifty-five seconds, which was not bad for a green horse.
"We'll keep at him," said the jockey, "and we will soon lower that. We have got to scale that down a lot before he will be a real runner."
When the jockey himself mounted Palo'mine Halsey wanted to shout. He sat the horse so easily, and was so much a part of the steed that it was a joy to see him. Palo'mine himself also seemed to sense the fact that a master's hand was on the reins, and he at once began dancing. The little jockey seemed to fill the horse with a new fire even before he had put him to his best pace. He was able to lower Halsey's showing for the half mile by three seconds, and they were well pleased with the first real test of speed.
After they had mastered the half mile they tried three quarters and then a mile and finally a mile and an eighth, which was usually the distance of the great running races.
"There are three things that make a great running horse," said the jockey one day. "The start, the finish, and an ability to keep going at an even pace all the way, somewhere near to his best clip. He must not be allowed to lag, or the spurt at the finish will not count."
The little jockey made many suggestions as to the care and feed of Palo'mine. Whenever Halsey and he went for a long hard workout, the horse had to have especial attention. He must be sponged off carefully from head to foot, especial care being taken to get out all the saddle marks. If it was dusty his nostrils must also be sponged out. His feet must be watched continually and the dirt and other foreign particles scraped out each day. There must be no chances taken with thrush, or blisters, or any other foot trouble. Brushing and currying Halsey had always attended to, but he now put in extra work in that particular.
"Keep his coat clean, and it will keep him on his mettle," said McBride.
"Keep his stable perfectly clean, don't let him stand in anything wet, for it is bad for the feet."
"Above all things always keep up the love between you, for a good horse will do more for those he loves than for those to whom he is indifferent. If it really came to a pinch he would do more for you than for me, this very minute. A good horse's love is worth cultivating."
Thus it was with hard study and much spare time put in with the training of Palo'mine that the happy weeks and months fairly flew.
Almost before they realized it Halsey and Palo'mine were home for the Christmas vacation. That was a happy and never to be forgotten week. One that all remembered afterwards with gratitude.
All too quickly it passed and they were back again at college and the training of the racer. So fast the months flew that it was Easter before it had seemed that another week had passed and Halsey and his chum were on the road again going back to Eaton Manor.
But after arriving at the old Manor house the boy was at once struck by the sense of gloom and quiet that overhung the place. He even felt when he first galloped into the yard that something had gone wrong.
Margaret greeted him with her usual cordiality, which included a kiss, but he saw at once from her face that something was the matter.
"What is it, sis?" asked the boy.
"You will know soon enough. It has broken Uncle Hillery all up and Aunt Julia too. You know Eaton Manor has been in the family so long."
Halsey asked no more questions but followed Peggy into the house wondering what strange disaster had overtaken them.
He was surprised to see how harassed his uncle looked. It seemed to him that he had aged five years since he saw him last. Aunt Julia also was depressed and very grave in her manner.
"What is the matter, uncle? I hope it isn't as bad as your looks would indicate."
"It is bad enough, my boy. I have kept it from you and Margaret as long as I can, but it has been coming on for years.
"You see, I am not a good business man. I was not brought up in that way. I have always had plenty of money and thought it would come in some way so I have not looked out for the dollars as I should have. You see, Halsey, I am badly involved. I am afraid that Eaton Manor must be sold. In fact the sheriff's warrant has already been served upon me."
Halsey sat down in the nearest chair and looked at his uncle in amazement. He had always supposed his uncle to be rich and now here he was confessing to him that they were to be sold out of house and home. It was incredible.
"I don't wonder that you are surprised," said his uncle. "It will be a surprise to the entire Blue Grass country. Nearly every one has supposed me rich. I really ought to be."
"Well, uncle, one thing that has made you poor was the fact that you freed all of your slaves and have been paying them wages for the past five years," said Margaret loyally.
"No," replied uncle Hillery. "It isn't that alone, although that helped. I am a poor business man. I let money slip through my fingers. I am too free handed. I like to entertain too well. Then I always lend to a friend if I have a dollar. I have a lot of bad debts."
"Well, that ends my college days," said Halsey.
"No, it doesn't," replied his uncle stoutly. "Your aunt and I have a little money that will not be involved and we want to see you through. We shall insist upon that."
Halsey said nothing, but he determined that they should not make any further sacrifices in his behalf. He would give up college.
That evening he went to the stable to tell the bad news to Palo'mine. He wanted to be alone and think it over. He discovered to his surprise that many of the horses were missing from the stable. They had been sold. Also there were few negroes about. It certainly looked desolate.
He sat for a long time by Palo'mine's side thinking. They must not give up Eaton Manor. It meant so much to his uncle and aunt and besides he had never known himself how he loved the old place until that hour.
The great rambling house, with its many ells, and piazzas. The shady yard, the broad fertile fields, the green pastures with the pleasant woods, the great barns and the tobacco sheds; even the white turnpike. He loved that also. Why, he loved every inch of the old place. No, it must not be sold. It should not be. He would stop it in some way. Why, all his dreams for the future were centered about Eaton Manor. There would be no use of going to college and making a career for himself if there was not the final goal of coming back to Eaton Manor. Why, it was like sailing away upon a long journey, with no home port to return to it was unspeakable. He would stop it. But how?
For another half hour he sat there thinking. His brows knit in deep thought. Then finally he got up with a shout and went to Palo'mine's side. He put his arms about the horse's neck and laid his face against his cheek.
"Yes, old Pal, we will stop it. You and I together. We will win back Eaton Manor, or break in the attempt."
With that pleasant prospect in mind, the boy went back into the house to try and cheer up the rest of the family. They must remain in the dark for the present. No one could be told of his project.