TOM DRAW S VISIT TO PINE BROOK. 185 



drawn up by a ring and strap to the centre of the back rail be- 

 tween them, and the patent water-proof apron hooked up to 

 either end of the seat the effeminacy of umbrellas we despised 

 our cigars lighted, and our bodies duly muffled up, off we 

 went, at a single chirrup of our driver, whose holly four-horse 

 whip stood in the socket by his side unheeded, as with his 

 hands ungloved, and his beautiful, firm, upright seat upon the 

 box, he wheeled off at a gentle trot, the good nags knowing 

 their master's hand and voice, as well as if they had been his 

 children, and obeying them far better. 



Our drive, it must be admitted, through the heavy rain was 

 nothing to brag of. Luckily, however, before we had got over 

 much more than half our journey, the storm gradually ceased, 

 as the night fell ; and, by the time we reached the big swamp, 

 it was clear all over the firmament ; with a dark, dark blue sky, 

 and millions of stars twinkling gayly and the wind blowing 

 freshly but pleasantly out of the nor-norwest ! 



" Did I not tell you so, boys ?" exclaimed Archer, joyously 

 pointing with his whip to the bright skies" we'll have a glori- 

 ous day to-morrow." Just as he spoke, we reached the little 

 toll-gate by the Morris Canal ; and, as we paused to change a 

 fifty cent piece, what should we hear, high in air, rapidly pass- 

 ing over our heads, but the well-known " sJceap ! skeap?" the 

 thin shrill squeak of unnumbered snipe, busy in their nocturnal 

 voyage ; and within an hour thereafter we arrived at our jour- 

 ney's end, where a glass all round of tip-top champagne brandy 

 a neat snug supper of capital veal cutlets, ham and eggs, and 

 pork steaks and sausages, finished the day, and tired enough, we 

 went to bed early and dreamed. 



THE SNIPE. 



" WHAT sort of a morning is it, Timothy ?" asked I, rubbing 

 my eyes, as I sat bolt upright in bed on the irruption of that 

 fidus Achates, some half hour before sunrise, into my little dor- 

 mitory ; " What sort of a morning is it 2" 



" A varry bonny mornin, Measter Frank, 7 ' responded he ; 

 " there was a leetle tooch o' whaite frost aboot midnaight, but 

 sin' t* moon set,, there's been a soop o* warm ra-ain, and it's 



