Adventure with Highwayman, 41 



Some of the old coachmen and guards 

 used to smile, and prophesy that the day- 

 would soon come when the people would get 

 tired of these " new fangled ways of getting 

 about," and would then return to the coaches. 

 But the coaches have gone, and with them 

 went much of the prosperity of my native 

 town, and of many another lying alongside our 

 great highways of traffic. Perhaps it will be 

 thought that I, also, am prejudiced against the 

 railways. I am not, but I frankly admit that 

 I was, as greatly as anybody. I have had 

 cause to grumble about them, also, for some 

 of my best hounds have, by them, come to a 

 horrible death. Notably, that disaster may be 

 recalled near Stratford signal-box, between 

 Biggleswade and Sandy, when three couples 

 of my most valued hounds were killed, a mis- 

 fortune which cut me very deeply. From 

 time to time since then the pack has suffered 

 heavy loss on the railways. 



May I here tell you the local legend about 

 " Shock Oliver," that noted highwayman of 

 the Great North Koad ? Old Doctor McGrath, 



