pulled up immediately ; he had to turn round and go back, which was a 

 feat attended with much difficulty in such a fog. Had it not been for our 

 usual salute, he would not have discovered his mistake before arriving at 

 Staines. This mishap was about as bad as getting into a wrong train. I merely 

 mention the circumstance to show that it was no joke driving a night Mail in 

 those days. November was the month we dreaded most, the fogs were 

 generally so bad. A singular event happened with the Bath Mail that ran 

 between Bath and Devonport. Its time for arriving at Devonport was 

 eleven o'clock at night. One eventful evening, they had set down all their 

 outside passengers except a Mrs. Cox, who kept a fish-stall in Devonport 

 Market. She was an immense woman, weighing about twenty stone. At 

 Yealmpton, where the coachman and guard usually had their last drain 

 before arriving at their destination, being a cold night, they kindly sent 

 Mrs. Cox a drop of something warm. The servant-girl who brought out 

 the glass, not being able to reach the lady, the ostler very imprudently left 

 the horses' heads to do the polite. The animals hearing some one getting 

 on the coach, doubtless concluded that it was the coachman ; at the same time 

 finding themselves free, and being, probably, anxious to get home, started 

 off at their usual pace, and performed the seven miles in safety, passing over 

 the Laira Bridge and through the toll-bar, keeping clear of everything on 

 the road. Mrs. Cox meanwhile sat on the coach, with her arms extended 

 in the attitude of a spread-eagle, and vainly trying to attract the attention 

 of those she met or passed on the road. She very prudently, however, 

 abstained from screaming, as she thought she might otherwise have 

 alarmed the horses. They, indeed, only trotted at their ordinary speed, 

 and came to a halt of their own accord at the door of the " King's Arms " 

 Hotel, Plymouth, where they were in the habit of stopping to discharge 

 some of the freight of the coach. The boots and ostler came running out 

 to attend to their accustomed duties, but, to their astonishment, beheld no 



