76 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DA YS OF YORE 



thing. Too much to drink at the hospitable bar 

 of the " George," at Huntingdon, and a doubt as 

 to Avhich of the two milestones he saw, on coming 

 up the road, was the real one. The guard and 

 all the outsides were in similar case — it Avas 

 Christmas, and men made nnn'ry — and so there 

 was nothing for it but to try their quality. Un- 

 fortunately, he drove into the real stone, and not 

 its spectral duplicate, conjured up by the effects 

 of strong liquors. We see the broken railings 

 and the dismounted stone ball that once capped 

 the thing as we pass. The local surgeon mended 

 the resultant broken liml)s at the " Wheatsheaf," 

 whose lighted windows fall into our wake as we 

 commence the descent of Stonegate Hill. 



Stilton. By this time we are too drowsy to 

 note whether we changed at the " Bell " or at 

 its rival, directly opposite, the " Angel." At 

 any rate, nobody asks us if Ave Avould not like 

 a nice real Stilton cheese to take Avith us, as 

 they usually do : it is midnight. 



We noAV pass Norman Cross, and come in 

 another eight miles to Wansford turnpike, Avhere 

 the gate is closed and the pikeman gone to l)ed. 

 " BloAv up for the gate," said the coachman. Allien 

 Ave Avere draAving near, to the guard, Avho blcAV 

 his horn accordingly ; but it does not seem to 

 have disturl)ed the dreams of the janitor. " Gate, 

 gate ! " cry the guard and coachman in stentorian 

 chorus. The giuird himself descends, and ])1()Avs 

 a furious series of blasts in the doorway, Avhilc 

 the coachman lashes the casement AvindoAvs. 



