Early School Days 



the phaeton was there to take us all three home. It was one 

 of the old-fashioned high and roomy kind of vehicles, with a 

 good seat in front, and only a moderately comfortable one at 

 the back. The only consolation to them being that the young 

 black carriage horse was in the shafts, and as he took a little 

 more careful driving than his older comrade, I suppose Mother 

 and Grandmother had thought the idea of driving him would 

 somewhat make up to my brothers for the absence of their 

 ponies. 



Undoubtedly this driving home, which they both hated in 

 comparison to feeling a good mount under them, was the last 

 straw, and two very cross boys looking for trouble and occasion 

 to quarrel in fisticuff fashion climbed into the front seat, rele- 

 gating me to the back of the carriage, which, however, I knew 

 well to be my usual position when we three drove that phaeton 

 together. My eldest brother by right of his year's seniority 

 claimed the reins, most unfortunately as it turned out, for of 

 the two he was by far the worst driver. 



We had proceeded in somewhat sulky silence, but quite 

 safely, for about a quarter of a mile, when a heavy waggon 

 carrying big trees, a " wood cut " as they are called in North 

 Lincolnshire, met us, and my eldest brother either could not 

 or would not try to give enough room space on the road for 

 this cumbersome vehicle to pass us comfortably. 



At any rate we very narrowly escaped landing ourselves 

 on the huge wheels, and this careless driving, added to the 

 natural fear of the accident we had escaped by the skin of our 

 teeth, was too much for Maunsell's nerves and temper. Then 

 the " row riz." He seized the reins, and how at that critical 

 moment we did not, phaeton and all, capsize, I shall never 

 know, for the young black horse, though called " young " by 

 courtesy, was by no means over-quiet, and the sharp jag at 



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