246 COACHING. 



and the cavalry escort to pass me, I pulled the 

 right one, and very nearly brought my chief to 

 grief. Happily, however, at this moment the 

 only damage done was to the leg of a mounted 

 police officer, who soundly rated me in language 

 unfit to be repeated. 



Misfortunes they say never come singly; we 

 had not proceeded many yards, when a gaming 

 who had evidently a taste for pyrotechnic exhibi- 

 tions, let 00" a cracker, which so frightened the 

 animal I was driving that he bolted across the 

 street, came in contact with a lamp-post, and 

 as near as possible upset the cabriolet. What 

 made it appear worse was that the escort above 

 referred to was returning at a brisk trot to their 

 barracks, and, had we been overturned, the 

 Duke might, for the first time in his military 

 career, have been trampled upon by French 

 cavalry. 



" Lucky escape !" was the only remark Wel- 

 lington made, and as the danger to which I had 

 exposed him had completely roused me from my 

 lethargy, I at once " screwed my courage to the 

 sticking place " and told the whole of my day's 

 adventures with the hounds. 



" Can't be helped," said he, in his usual quick 

 manner; " accidents will happen." 



