74 COACHING. 



" Lord William ! Who would have thought it ! 

 How much YOU have improved in driving ! Do 

 you recollect when you upset the dog-cart close 

 to that pond ?" 



" I hope your father is well," I rephed, 

 anxious to change the conversation ; " and Sally 

 — I mean Miss Sadbroke — let the coachman 

 and guard have a glass of your cream of the 



vallev." 



" Pray alight, my Lord," said the coachman, 

 " I was not aware who I had the honour of 

 addressing. Dick, show his Lordship into the 

 bar." 



I jumped down, rushed into the well-known 

 snuggery, shook hands with poor old Sadgrove, 

 who was a victim to what he called the 

 "rheumatiz," quaffed a glass of bright, spark- 

 ling ale, threw down a crown piece, kissed my 

 hand to the blooming girl, and mounted the 

 box, not a little elated with my adventure. 

 But to quit this spot of juvenile reminiscences. 

 We trotted past my tutor's house on the green, 

 where I was cheered by the boys of the. village 

 school, and, after an agreeable drive, reached 

 Reading and then Newbury. Here the passen- 

 ^•ers were allowed twenty minutes for dinner, 

 where we (I can answer for myself) did ample 



