The Coachmaster 



number of great coats and capes under the 

 seats for the protection of those unsuitably 

 clothed in the case of inclement weather, 

 looked to the comfortable settling of pas- 

 sengers in their appointed places, while the 

 porters bestowed the last of the baggage, 

 then he took his seat with the air of a man 

 settlinor down to well loved work, and at 



o 



the first stroke of the hour from the clock 

 in the old Pavilion Tower, the ostlers 

 whipped off the horse-cloths, my Father 

 tightened the ribbons, raised his whip, and 

 off they went. 



And here I may say that my Father 

 always drove out of Brighton with four 

 bays, and Ridley out of London with four 

 greys. A bay was ever my Father's 

 favourite horse ; Boxer and the Mare, the 

 two oldest and most beloved of his horses, 

 were both bays, and a pair of faithful sweet- 

 hearts he said, and I believe he grew more 

 partial to creatures of their colour every 

 time he drove them. For a black horse 

 he had no liking, indeed it was a kind of 

 terror to him. 



Of course there may be many of those 

 who growl at the memory of that old 

 fashion of travelling, but even they will 

 grant you, unless they be wholly bent on 

 saving time at the expense of life and 

 52 



