662 MEETING OF THE DELEGATE!. 



" I only once gev him a bit of a kick/' said the Blacksmith, " for 

 running away wi' one o' my bones." 



" Well," said Dick, " we've come to hire your light cart, to go to 

 Chillwell in." 



" But I an't got a horse at home/' said Joe ; " and beside if I had, 

 whose to pay me for my cart?" 



"O, the Union/' said Dick; "the Leicester Political Union we 

 are delegates appointed by them. The Union pays for all." 



(f Then, I wish the Union would pay for that sheep as I sold 

 Butcher Tong, for he swears as wot sin' they opened a Union in 

 Chillwell, all his meat's gone on trust ; and says, wot there's nought 

 going forerd but drunkenness and idleness sin' they opened it ; an' 



that he can't get any money from folks wot allos paid afore that d 



Union began." 



"O, it's sure to be so for a time," said Dick ; " but after awhile 

 you'll begin to feel the benefit of these things ; for the Union will 

 abolish all duties, then they'll have plenty of money to pay all the 

 debts they may chance to contract during their formation." 



" Hey, well if they do that, it e'll not matter. But about this cart ; 

 I've got two jackasses, if you've a mind to teck them, why you may 

 heve 'em there and back for five shillings, if you'll pay me fost." 



" When we return," said Dick, " we shall then have received the 

 musket-money, and you shall be payed." 



To this Joe agreed ; and, in a few minutes, five of us were seated 

 in the cart (which had that day been loaded with coals) with Dick at 

 the front as driver, all blowing our cigars, and going as fast as whip- 

 ping and shouting could urge us, until we came to a sudden turn in 

 Basford Lane, when one of the wheels fell off as we were just on the 

 brink of a filthy dyke, and in we all went cart, donkeys, driver, and 

 delegates, flapping about like flounders, among stagnant water, 

 weeds, and mud. " Ewkaw, ewkaw," cried the donkeys. " I'm 

 almost choked with mud," blethered the Blacksmith. " O, what a 

 go !" cried Dick. " I wish we'd walked," said Ned, as he crawled 

 up the bank, shining like a black snail with sludge. " We can't go 

 this figure," said the young Stockinger, rubbing his face with grass. 



I had been busy in getting up the donkeys, who no sooner found 

 themselves at liberty than away they ran back of their own accord 

 faster than they came, with Dick after them ; when, just as he was 

 within reach of the nearest, up went its heels, and down Dick came 

 on his seat of honour, prostrated by his long-eared conqueror, who 

 gallopped away, eckawing its own sweet notes of victory. We all 

 congregated round our fallen orator, and enquired if he was hurt : 

 te No," was the answer, " let's have another cigar ;" and down we sat 

 in our dirt to console ourselves, forming a circle round donkey-felled 

 Dick ; and, as soon as a light was obtained from the tinder-box, we 

 began to smoke away, as if nothing had happened, like true-born 

 gentlemen delegates. 



We had not sat long before we perceived Joe Broomet, coming full 

 run with a horse-whip in his hand, preceded by his big barking dog. 

 The old Blacksmith had had one pressure from his teeth, and, not 

 wishing for another, up he jumped, and bounded off at full run ; 



