STOCKBRIDGE. 57 



" Don't you know who that is ?" said 

 my friend. 



" Oh, yes," said I, " I know him ; he 

 keeps the Royal Hotel at Stockbridge, 

 and he means mischief, I see." 



We were not then more than a mile 

 from Stockbridge ; and, after getting out 

 and pricking my horse in the roof of his 

 mouth with a penknife, he recovered 

 and we proceeded. On our entrance into 

 Stockbridge, where the road is very wide, 

 we perceived the gentleman in front of 

 his house, a posse of ostlers and stablemen 

 with him, standing in the middle of the 

 road, with the evident intention of im- 

 peding our further progress. 



" Stop him, Will ! take hold of his 

 horse's head, Harry !" vociferated the 

 master ; for the drenching had not 

 cooled his rage or quite drowned the 

 effects of his potations. 



Pretending surprise at such an inter- 



