5' 



CHAPTER IV 



Filching the trainer's good name — An artfully knavish Turf adviser — 

 The wrongful heir — A curiosity in Turf prophecy : a Silas Wegg 

 who dropped into poetry — Important trials, and an unread riddle 

 — Why Pero Gomez was beaten — Wells that day not Wells— A 

 thunderstorm which lost the Oaks — A marvellous Kingsclere year— 

 Rosicrucian and Blue Gown at their greatest — ' Why, I could not 

 tell you how good Blue Gown was ! ' — Sir Joseph Hawley's failing 

 health — The relations between owner and trainer — The Baronet's 

 uniform kindness and consideration — ' One of the best friends I 

 have had.' 



A digression may be permitted here. It has been 

 Porter's fate to have his name and position fraudu- 

 lently taken in vain on several occasions. Two 

 diverse instances of this enterprise on the part of the 

 knaves of the pack appear deserving of citation. 

 1 The Aristocratic Tout,' writing in the ' Licensed 

 Victuallers' Gazette,' chanced to run imitative 

 knave number one to earth, as he relates, in the 

 following manner : 



' Early in the present season a neighbour of mine, 

 from a motive of curiosity, answered the following 

 advertisement which appeared in the " Daily Tele- 

 graph " : 



'" REQUIRED, the services of a gentleman to 

 manage a City office. Would be required 

 to travel to the Continent once a week. Address 

 Continent, &c." 



E 2 



