THE WILLEY WHIPPER-IN. 125 



of Tom's adventures with tlie Squire's buff-coloured 

 chaise, in taking company from the Hall, and in 

 fetching visitors from Shifnal, then the nearest place 

 to reach a coach. Having a spite at a pike-keeper, 

 who offended him by not opening the gate quick 

 enough, " Tom tanselled his hide," and resolved the 

 next time he went that way not to trouble him. 

 Driving up to the gate, he gave a spring, and touch- 

 ing his horse on the flanks, went straight over with- 

 out starting a stitch or breaking a buckle. On 

 another occasion he tried the same trick, but failed ; 

 the horse went clean over, but the gig caught the 

 top rail, and Tom was thrown on his back. " That 

 just sarves yo right," said the pike-keeper. " So it 

 does, and now we are quits," added Tom ; and they 

 were friends ever after. This, however, did not 

 prevent Tom trying it again ; not that he wanted 

 to defraud the pike-man, whom he generally paid 

 another time, but for " the fun of the thing." In- 

 deed, with his old wild favourite, with or without 

 the buff-coloured gig, there were no risks he was 

 not prepared to run. " Ay, ay, sir," said one of 

 our aged informants, " you should have seen him on 

 his horse, a mad, wild animal no one but Tom could 

 ride. He could ride him though, with his eyes shut. 



