178 COACHING DAYS AND COACHING WAYS 



the Portsmouth Road there were two other day coaches 

 on it ; but as they left Portsmouth at different hours, 

 there was no fear of their coming into contact. With 

 the down coaches it was different, as from their leaving 

 London by different routes, and from other circumstances, 

 such as stopping or not stopping to dine, they would 

 sometimes in the middle of a journey all get together, as 

 they did one day, when on returning he overtook the 

 other coaches at the Anchor at Liphook, where they 

 changed horses and dined. The coachman asked him 

 what time he intended to get to Portsmouth that evening, 

 to which he replied much about the same as usual ; and 

 he then left." 



But, alas ! while this coachman, who had hitherto 

 resisted temptation, was changing horses at the Wheat- 

 sheaf inn half a mile out of the village, the other two 

 coaches, who had changed at the Anchor, came by at a 

 round trot, and shot out at him the tongue of the scorner. 

 At this the blood of the old coachman boiled ; in point 

 of fact he said, " I will pursue," and he was fortified in 

 this wicked determination by his fresh team being com- 

 posed of four thoroughbred horses. He pursued accord- 

 ingly, and soon came in sight of his rivals, one a little 

 in advance of the other, and travelling as fast as they 

 were able. Upon this the old coachman flung official 

 directions and prudence to the winds and " sprang his 

 cattle." Success soon rewarded this disregard for the 

 safety of his passenger's neck. He overtook the 

 Regulator, which was the name of one of the rival 

 coaches, as it was ascending Rake Hill. The Hero 

 however, which was the name of the other coach, he saw 

 still about half-a-mile in front of him. Upon this, " he 

 sprang his cattle " more than ever, and the only passen- 

 ger in his coach, a soldier, was tossed about on the roof 

 like a shuttlecock on a battledore. This however was 

 as nothing in the old coachman's eyes, who could see 

 nothing with them but his rival, and him he overtook on 

 the top of Sheet Hill. The old coachman and the 



