The Merry Past 



coaches," as they were called, which started on race 

 days horsed, as a rule, by a sorry team. 



The officer had the box-seat on the coach, which 

 conveyed a number of Frenchmen desirous of seeing 

 the great race. The driver was an " occasion whip," 

 with a dirty, villainous countenance, whose handling 

 of the ribbons left much to be desired. It was a 

 pelting wet day, and when they had reached Ewell 

 the man handed over the reins to the officer, saying 

 he was going to stop for a bit. 



The latter, who had a good idea of what would 

 happen, told the coachman that if he was going to 

 get drunk he had better say so, and the whole party 

 would get down and take shelter. 



" Oh, no, young master," was the reply, '' I he's 

 only a going in whiles the horses gets their heads 

 loosed, and wets their mouths a bit." The coach drew 

 up, the horses underwent the usual process, and in due 

 time the officer desired the ostler to call the coachman. 

 That worthy soon returned with a broad grin on his 

 curious frontispiece, and, cocking his eye : " Why, 

 Lord," said he, " young man, that 'ere coachman says 

 as how he don't care not a damn for yow or none on 

 'em, and yow may wait his pleasure." This would 

 have led to an altercation, a scuffle, and probably a 

 scene with most people ; the officer, however, was equal 

 to the situation. " I tell you what, my friends," 

 said he to the passengers, " I can drive you on to 

 Epsom fully as safe as that dirty disciple of the goose ; 

 and it is ridiculous to suppose we are to sit here, be 

 drenched through, lose our money, and be too late 



138 



