National Velvet Page #5

That boy crammed everything

he owned into that carpet bag.

Goodbye!

Half and half.

Right you are.

Aren't we pretty?

There she goes!

Here's Mister Greenford.

And a good man he is to know.

What do you want, lad?

I've got a mount

and I'm looking for a rider.

In carny stuff? County fair?

No, Aintree.

- Who you acting for?

- Owners. Take it or leave it.

Why wouldn't a lad

like you go to a place like...

...Manchester to find a rider?

Why did you say Manchester?

That's where you had your spill,

wasn't it, lad?

What's your game?

I'm taking these to Weatherby's.

He means it. He's serious!

Got the papers in his hands

and the money in his pocket.

Hands off!

There's no need to get ratty.

No harm in horseplay

among horsey men, is there?

Where's a table?

Don't talk on your feet.

Think of it sober.

This Miss Brown, entering a horse

what never run anywhere.

You might as well go down

to the Thames...

...take your 100 quid and fling

it right in the river.

- It ain't mine to fling.

- What's the odds?

Flinging it would get

you in the paper...

...but taking it to enter

a whiskey horse will get you nothing!

'Cause your nag

ain't going to win the National!

Mr. Greenford here, he's been picking

National winners all his life.

Gentlemen...

...what do you suggest?

Listen with your wits.

The horse taking the National,

is in betting now at 40-to-1.

Can you count? 4000 pounds

for your hundred!

And all I ask is a little commission.

- What could I tell them?

- Tell them anything.

Tell them you lost the money.

Tell them...

Tell them you went to a pub and a couple

of touts like us pinched the money!

After Aintree, you slip away...

...come to London and live like

quality for the rest of your days.

What do you say, son?

Victoria stuff!

What's that, half a crown?

You got this bag watered down?

She gave it to me to spend.

Saved it.

And she was glad to give it to me.

Generous owner you got!

Old lady sweet on you, is she?

Husky lad!

Not old!

Not old.

Not sweet on me.

She trusts me.

She trusts me.

I see you took me at my word...

...and had a right good time.

Here's the receipt

for your money at Weatherby's.

And you get five pounds change.

Yesterday you calculated how many

chops went to make 100 sovereigns.

Yes, and today I'll calculate

in mutton head.

No need for too much humility,

Mr. Brown.

Everything all right?

Did they take the money?

- They took it.

- Did you find a jockey?

I thought you'd find a jockey.

Be grateful. You're entered, you got

expense money, you have the horse.

I know. I ought to be grateful...

...but I can't help it.

I want it quickly because

I don't want God to think...

...Im getting more than my share.

I'll do what I can about the jockey.

I'll write a few letters

to London but that's all.

You've bit off a big piece of dream.

Now it's your show.

I couldn't do it without you!

The National's not my business.

Your pa won't let me

chase around a horse.

But you know how to train him.

And what the jumps are going to be like.

Half The Pie's in my heart...

...and the other half's in yours.

I swear by The Pie that

half whatever he wins is yours.

I'll buy a hat with my half.

A castle with your half.

The Pie's going to win.

Half the sweeps.

Tidy.

A man could get a real start.

Buy himself a livery stable

in a lively little town.

Drop anchor and raise

some young ones like Donald.

All right.

You dream of glory for your Pie.

As for me...

...Ill take the cash.

They go twice around the course.

30 jumps in all.

It's a job of training them

to jump and to keep going.

But he's got a heart. He can do it.

The first 5 jumps are thorn fences,

4 and 5 feet high.

We'll teach him those

on the hedges by Meade's.

The third jump there's a ditch...

...on the take-off side.

I can dig him one.

There's also a guardrail.

Faster!

Faster!

Steady.

Lift his head.

We'll try it once again now.

You training him for a hearse?

Steady now!

That's it!

There's Beecher's. Sixth jump.

It's not the tallest but it'll be

one of the meanest for him.

There's a bad drop on

the landing side over here.

It'll look rough to him on the course...

...but if he goes over it enough,

it won't scare him so much.

Go, carefully. Dont jerk his head!

I just sit still as a dummy

and let him handle it. Watch!

Passed it fair!

Are you all right?

Come on.

Up you go!

Nothing like salt water for his legs!

Makes muscle!

Thank you.

You're wanted home at once.

Is it Donald? It's not Mother?

What is it? What's happened?

Is somebody ill?

It's Ted!

They've sent him away

to live with his aunt in Lancaster.

You mean you're sniveling for a boy?

You brought me home for that?

The Pie?

Sniveling for Ted!

That's better than sniveling

for a dirty old horse!

I hope he dies!

What's wrong?

Tell me what hurts.

Tell me.

I'll understand.

Is he very bad?

- I'll go get a vet.

- No, no vet.

There isn't a good one in town.

Please!

You can help him.

He's ours.

Would you trust me, Velvet?

I'm not lucky, I might guess wrong.

But would you trust me?

You won't hurt him more than need.

Go get some blankets, some whiskey

and some more hot water.

So, tragedy stalks the house.

Pearson's Weekly came today.

I put it on your bed.

Not going to bed yet.

Atmosphere is too disturbed.

I don't hear a sound in the house.

Won't Velvet catch her death

out in the stables?

It can't be helped, she's beside

herself.

- You need your sleep.

- Not at all.

When tragedy stalks the house

once in ten years I can stay up.

Come in, Mi.

- Down, your feet are wet.

- Any change?

Sit down and pour for yourself.

Thank you, ma'am.

You worried about the animal?

He's sick.

I wouldn't be surprised if you

and Mrs. Brown were sick too.

Matter of a cool 100 pounds

with those racing people.

What can you do,

take the carcass...

...and demand a refund?

We're not thinking of the money.

Not you, Mrs. Brown. You're a

woman of deep feelings and faith.

I mean Master Taylor's half interest...

...in the winnings.

Once you entered

a competition for five shillings...

...which the headmaster

posted for spelling.

Was it love of spelling

or the love of five shillings?

That was entirely different.

It was love of shillings,

don't be ashamed.

Sometimes even money can be a faith.

I haven't sat up so late

since Donald arrived.

Which, of course, was late at night.

No need to sit up.

Tragedy can stalk the house

without assistance.

I sleep too much.

I'll decide. Upstairs.

Is the child in the habit

of coming down at this hour?

You heard your mother, back to bed!

I'll only fall asleep.

That is the general purport

and intention.

I've been sick all night.

- You haven't.

- Why haven't I?

Don't let him start why-ing.

You changed my sheets in the night,

and the new ones was cold.

I changed your sheets

for other reasons. Get on!

I must have been sick all night.

Mother, he's fine!

Stood up on his own legs and said,

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