The Coachmaster 



twenty-eight coaches running between 

 London and Brighton, and the competi- 

 tion resulted in greatly increased comfort, 

 punctuality and speed. My Father altered 

 his ways like the rest, and never again 

 drove less than four horses. Though there 

 was now so large a choice of coaches, my 

 Father was increasingly popular among 

 travellers on that road. His coaches were 

 always well-horsed, well-appointed, and his 

 pace was excellent ; but he would none of 

 the dashing style or racing with other 

 coaches, so popular among the showy 

 " whips " of the day, and occasionally so 

 disastrous to their passengers. 



''The Alert" and "The Union" left our 

 office at nine and eleven respectively, driven 

 by my Father and Crosby ; their twin 

 coaches leaving the "Old Bell," Holborn, at 

 the same hours, driven by my cousin Ridley 

 and Merry man. My Father always pre- 

 pared for his departure on the up-coach 

 with the regularity of a clock. After 

 breakfast he drew on his high boots, and 

 with his neckerchief in his hand he went 

 out into the kitchen. Now this neck- 

 erchief was as laro-e as a fair-sized table- 

 cloth, and the right folding of it could only 

 be achieved upon a table : a clean deal 

 table was here set apart for this purpose, 

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