96 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



master should be. Wells never forgot the 

 lesson he received, and so richly deserved. 



This, however, was not the first time he had 

 been in trouble. In 1863, my first year at 

 Cannon Heath, he jumped to the conclusion 

 that Sir Joseph would not have a runner in the 

 St. Leger, and, without consulting me or any 

 one else, undertook to ride Lord Falmouth's 

 Queen Bertha. Presently this arrangement was 

 announced in the newspapers. We had Woldga 

 entered in the St. Leger, and I received a tele- 

 gram from Sir Joseph instructing me to take 

 the horse to Doncaster with the others we were 

 running at the meeting. The message mystified 

 me, because I knew Sir Joseph did not intend 

 running Woldga in the St. Leger, and he was 

 not in any other race at Doncaster. A letter 

 which followed the telegram explained matters. 



After I reached Doncaster, Wells called to 

 see the horses I had brought for him to ride. 

 When he found Woldga there he asked, ** What's 

 he in.?" "The Leger," I replied. "But," 

 said Wells, thoroughly alarmed, " he's not 

 going to run, is he.'* " " What do you suppose 

 he's come for ? " was my rejoinder. " Good 

 gracious! " exclaimed the jockey. " What am I 

 to do ? I have promised to ride Queen Bertha." 

 " In that case," said I, " you had better go and 

 hear what Sir Joseph has to say." 



Away Wells went, in a very disturbed state 



