“Just glanced him on the side, probably knocking the wind out of him. He’ll be okay, I think, Alec. Don’t worry.”

“I sure hope so, Henry,” Alec replied slowly. “I’d hate to have anything happen to Sebastian.”

“The colt’s excited.…”

Alec nodded, his eyes on the quivering body of the horse beside him.

“Let’s get out of here,” Henry said. “It’s no place for him.”

As they led the colt into the van, Alec said bitterly, “A good start, Henry.”

“Yeah,” Henry returned, “… a good start.”

SATAN
4

When the van left the pier shed, Alec was sitting between the driver and Henry. Turning his head, Alec could see the black colt through the small window. He was tied securely; everything was all right now.

Henry said, “He’ll turn out okay, Alec. Don’t worry about him.”

Without looking at his friend, Alec said, “I’m not worrying too much, Henry. It’s the way I hoped he’d be.” Pausing, he added, “I just wish he hadn’t kicked Sebastian.”

Henry didn’t say anything, and after a few minutes Alec glanced at him. The old man’s face was still troubled. Alec’s gaze left him and returned to the road ahead. For several blocks he was undecided whether or not to bring up the subject which was foremost in his mind. Then he said quietly, “Your job, Henry. How’s it going?”

Without hesitation Henry replied, “It’s all right, Alec. Boldt’s got some fine youngsters this year. He’s thinkin’ they’re the best he’s ever had. May be right, too, from the looks of ’me.” And then Alec detected a sudden eagerness in Henry’s voice as he added, “There’s one colt especially that Boldt’s staking everything on … a gray colt sired by his champion, Shooting Star. That’s the horse, you know, that copped all the big stakes a couple years back. Well, Boldt put him in stud and bred him to that great English mare, the Lady, which he bought for fifty thousand dollars. The gray colt’s the result, and Boldt wouldn’t sell him for any price. He’s already named him Boldt’s Comet.”

Alec remained silent when Henry had finished. It was pretty much as he’d figured, Alec thought. Henry didn’t want any part of his black colt. With Boldt, there were horses Henry could get excited about and, at the same time, pull down a good salary each year. With him, there would be no salary, no fine stables, no help, nothing … except the son of the Black! And at one time, not so many months ago, the colt had been all that Henry had wanted.

Then the old man said quietly, his eyes still on the road ahead, “But if our colt turns out to be anything like his sire, he’ll run Boldt’s Comet into the ground, Alec. I’m sure of it.”

Our colt! Did that mean … could it mean …?

Quickly Alec turned to Henry and met his eyes for the first time since they had left the pier. “Our colt,” he repeated. “Do you mean it, Henry? You’re going to go through with it, just as we planned?”

A confused look swept Henry’s face as he studied Alec’s tense expression. Then he smiled. “Y’mean, Alec, you didn’t think I was?”

Alec’s eyes fell, and he heard Henry’s deep chuckle.