MY START AS A TRAINER 59 



five, and a married man! Returning from 

 Liverpool, I called again at Sir Joseph's house, 

 and, to my great joy, found he had practically 

 decided to " give me a chance.'* He took me 

 to Cannon Heath to show me the stables. Their 

 condition horrified me. Every nook and corner 

 was filled with cobwebs; the stable-yards were 

 overgrown with weeds, and wherever one looked 

 there were signs of untidiness and neglect. 



** Come back in a fortnight. Sir Joseph, and 

 I will show you a difference," I said, when we 

 had completed the inspection. 



The head lad at Cannon Heath was much 

 older than I, and it was a bitter disappointment 

 to him when he realised that I had been put over 

 him. He was, indeed, inclined to be very nasty. 

 The first three mornings he went out with me 

 when the horses were exercised. I required his 

 aid until I had learned the geography of my 

 surroundings. The fourth morning I said to 

 him, " I shan't want you out to-day; you can 

 stay at home." ** Why ? " he asked, indignantly. 

 " Because I want all the cobwebs swept away, 

 and the stable-yard cleared of weeds. You can 

 see to that." 



He looked sulky and said he did not think 

 he would suit me. " If," I said, ** you think 

 cobwebs and weeds are all right in a racing stable 

 you certainly won't suit. But if you are ready 

 to work with me, I don't see why we should not 



