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 

 j1 a record I believe of nearly sixty miles 

 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 

 fterwards 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 s h e e p. 

 '^But what to 

 Turpin at that 

 moment was 

 \vas 



HOUNDSi'! 



The Fox and Hounds. 



Nature, 

 He was 



It 



nothing- 



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 bri<>ht c\'es rained their 

 influence upon him ; no eagle orbs watched his move- 

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



