312 



COACHING DAYS AND COACHING WAYS 



the confines of a third county — in point of fact the 

 merry county of Huntingdon. 



" The eleventh hour was given from the iron tongue of 

 St. Mary's spire as he rode through the deserted streets ' 

 — of Huntingdon, which, as Huntingdon is fifty-eight 

 miles and three-fourths from London, and as Turpin left 



the metropolis at seven o'clock, shows 

 fl a record I believe of nearly sixty miles 

 ^j4& in four hours. 



I am sorry for one thing that Tur- 

 pin did not stop in Huntingdon, 

 because in the George he would 

 have found a very fine inn there ; 

 but I suppose he heard his pur- 

 suers behind him, for he was gone 

 like a meteor almost before 

 had appeared. Shortly 

 afterwards he found him- 

 self surrounded by dew- 

 gemmed hedges 



and silent, 



slumbering 



trees, also with 



broad meadows, 



pasture-land, 



drowsy cattle, 



and low-bleat- 



i n g sheep. 



"But what to 



Turpin at that 



moment was 



was nothing; ! 



*%n 



'-A/a- . ■ .1 



HOUNDS,,; 



The Fox and Hounds. 



Nature, 

 He was 



It 



animate or inanimate?'' 



thinking only of his mare — and of himself. 

 And here I am sorry to say the light-hearted high- 

 wayman fell almost into the weeping mood at the 

 mawkish thought that no bright eves rained their 

 influence upon him ; no eagle orbs watched his move- 

 ments ; no bells were rung ; no cup awaited his achieve- 



