THE LONDON B HOYS. 171 



held up each a brace or two of rabbits, at which there wag 

 cheering and laughter from the rest. All, indeed, were in 

 the greatest possible good humour, joking and bantering and 

 making engagements, or telling of their plans for dining to 

 gether, or meeting for some degrading excitement on Sunday. 

 Of us and others in the car, when they entered, they took 

 little notice, though treating us with respect in not jostling or 

 crowding us ; but as soon as they were well settled in their 

 places they began to make game of one another ; to tell 

 stories, evidently improvising comical anecdotes of their 

 employers and other common acquaintances, both absent and 

 present. A dignified &quot; old chap,&quot; who stood near upon the 

 platform, was made very uncomfortable, and reduced con 

 siderably in height and stiffness, by urgent invitations to join 

 them. The &quot; guard,&quot; too, was made an especial butt, and 

 several illustrations were given of the ignorant character of 

 railway-people in general. &quot; There vas von them Mefodis 

 wi si tin-coves, you know, wot awks tracs and suchlike, in here 

 a Vensdy wen we come up ; and ven the guard come along 

 he arks him did he know the Lord s prayer ? Lorspraer V 

 says he, vot is he V says he ; is he a stoker or a driver P 

 says he, ha ! ha ! ha ! I m blowed f e didn t.&quot; 



&quot; I saw one of them same fellows other night,&quot; continued 

 another, &quot; wot ad old of another on em. He treats im to 

 a go o gin first, you see, to make him sharp like, and then he 

 axes him did he know any think about the eternal world. 

 4 Turnulwool V says he Turnulwool ? no such place in 

 the Farnham branch, sir hadn t you best enkvire of the 

 station-master, sir T says he.&quot; 



&quot; Ternal world s the place where they hadn t got the rails 

 down to yet last adwices ; aren t it ? and they carries the 

 nobs on there with lays o busses wot runs erry day in the 

 year oney Sunneys and her Majestee s birth-day,&quot; 



