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LOST
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THE LOT i
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Hie roar of the crowd drowned
Melville's voice. "Lucky," his heartI
hammering, his hands clammy|
and his eyes hard, was watching:
the semaphore board near thels
judge's two go Into box. the Then frame he caw and number]P Rastus
had won.
"Quick! Quick!) cried Matsle.
"Did Trial Balance run a place?"
"Yeah, third," aald "Lucky,"
echanically.
"Oh, goodie, goodie!" cried
alsle. Jumping up and down and
lapping her hands. "I've picked a
card. f'i ' " * ' "
ard."
"For how*much?" asked Max, not
aring to look at "Lucky."
"Jive and six!" she cried. "Five
nd six I I lost five bob on Laugh-'
ng Wale ' " ~ •
alance."
• "Oh," said Max
"Lucks'," stunned, sat down on
he hard seat and did not move
hile the crowd around him thined.
Max went down to look after
Laughing Water and the girls
ent with him.
It was always the same, thought
f
Lucky." Whenever he went for
he big dish 1 he got beat a skull.
e roused himself at last, picked
up his hat, stood up and went
own to the ground level and d
round to Laughing Water's stall.
hen she saw him she whinnied,
odded her head and pawed slowly s
t the ground. He stood there, g
ooking at her, his hat on the back
l his head, his coat undone, his t
rightly-colored tie flowing, his b
ands on his hips. Then he moke. C
You beautiful big black bludger,"
e said bitterly.
Max came over and began to
ake excuses, but "Lucky",Ignored
im. He turned to the girls and
aid, "Well, we gotta go now."
Malsle looked crestfallen and
er lower Up drooped petulantly,
v
o
t
nd Ella, pouting, aald: Aren't
ous gonna see us after?"
Max started to say "Yeah" but h
Lucky" gripped his arm firmly,
n
aid:'Too much work to do," tmd s
rew him away. "Listen, Max," he t
aid. "Take Bunny back home. I "
ont want to have nothln' to do d
ith her. I've paid me boani at >'
he Ring George for a couple of
'
ays ana IU look up a few mate*
tomoirer an' try an' bite .'em for
m
mmm mm-^r • |
some dough. If I don't do no good
I'll come home, but If I do I'll
try an' get square at a dice ?ame\
on Mondee.
I gotta try an T get
ome dough to take home or |
them eggy'11 canaries. go lousy. Keep He looked away from over I
his shoulder at the two girls, who!
were staring at them resentfully. !
"Ill be seeln' ya,' he said,
and
made for the gate.
A young man who had a
flat
nose and was wearing a
soiled
white coat was selling not dogs on
the footpath. ;
"They're all
"0t|
erel" he was crying. "Got yer 'ot .
doggie!
They're 'asty. tasty, all I
'ot r ere!
'Ot doggie!
doggie ["
Suddenly
"Lucky" felt
hungry.
He never had time for lunch on
race days. He waited in the halfdozen
men ...... around the .... trot-dog
seller until It wa£ his turn and '
then he aald: "Two. No mustard.
Sauce."
The hot-dog seller said: "Crlpes,
Lucky, don'tcna know me?"
"Lucky" looked at him for the
irst time.
"Yeah, sure," he said.
"Long time since I seen ya, Sid."
"Yeah."
Sid's hands were moving
deftly as he spoke.
"How're
ya goln'?"
"Extra well.
What've ya been
oln'?"
Sid
grinned,
"Oot too heavy
for rldin' work,
Done a bit, of
trappln'.
Had a few fights an'
ot this."
He turned a
caulllower
ear to "Lucky."
"Soon give
hat. away.
'. Then worked as a
arman.
Give
that
away,
too.
ouldn't Iceep sober.
This is the
ame to be in. Good money in lt.
fell, yer mare got beat today?"
"Yeah," said "Lucky" through a p
outhful of hot-dog.
Sid looked up at lilm with enious
eyes.
"It must be great to
wn one.
Must be great to be In
he big dough."
"Yeah, sure."
o
Sid's friendship struggled against
is business Instinct, and his busiess
Instinct won. "See ya again
ome time, 'Lucky'," he said, and w
hen he raised his voice and cried.
They're all 'ot 'ere!
Get yer 'ot
ogglel They're 'asty, tasty, 'all
ot nt %«' ere! 'Ot. doggies 1 ' Oft yer
ot doggie!"..
(Continued in Page t)
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