I04 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



on one of his quarters. The next moment 

 Wolsey, who had reared up and fallen backwards, 

 was practically sitting in the cab! We got him 

 on his legs again, and, greatly to our relief, found 

 that only the cab had suffered. The cabman 

 was furious, and threatened an action to recover 

 damages. I retaliated by making a counter 

 threat, and probably frightened him by saying 

 that inasmuch as our horse was worth ^^3000 

 or ;^4000, our claim would inconvenience, if 

 it did not ruin, his master. This bluff answered 

 its purpose, for we heard nothing more about 

 the affair. I was really rather glad the accident 

 had happened, because it opened Sir Joseph's 

 eyes to the risks that had to be run when we were 

 ** travelling ** the horses. 



Of the races we won that week the Middle 

 Park Plate was far and away the most important, 

 as well as the most valuable. It was only the 

 second year of this event. I saddled both 

 Green Sleeve and Rosicrucian. The latter had 

 to carry 8 lb. more than the filly, but, as he 

 had given her 6 lb. in our trial and beaten her 

 a length, we naturally expected him to finish 

 in front again. This expectation was reflected 

 by the betting, for whereas odds of 7 to i were 

 laid against Rosicrucian, backers of Green 

 Sleeve could obtain 100 to 8. Sir Joseph 

 Hawley, however, made no declaration in favour 

 of cither of his candidates ; they were to run on 



