294 MOVING OFF CH. XIV 



By this time the second groom may have reached 

 the horses' heads, and straightened the animals out 

 until the reins can be pushed through the fino-ers 

 to their proper places, and a second start made 

 in somewhat improved fashion, although some one 

 rein will keep slipping in the most provoking 

 manner. 



When the coach docs get fairly under way, one 

 of the grooms whispers in as confidential a man- 

 ner as is possible from his distant seat : ' Brake's 

 on, sir !' 



These difficulties overcome, the tyro next finds 

 that in the scrimmage he has got his near wheel- 

 rein on top of the off lead-rein, and the two reins 

 seem to be all edges while he is endeavouring to 

 get them right. 



If the team pulls at all, as is quite likely after 

 this little flurry, the two middle reins keep slipping 

 out from between his first and second fingers, with 

 the result of having the leaders off to the right-hand 

 side of the road ; at last all calms clown and things 

 go more smoothly. 



At such a moment, the beginner is apt to think 

 that driving is not so amusing as he believed it to 

 be when he came out of the house, drawing- on his 

 gloves, and admiring the ' smart'-looking ' turn-out' 

 before him. 



All this is intended to emphasise the importance 

 of having everything as nearly right as possible 

 before giving the signal for starting, with the reins 



