122 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



We Avill conclude tins cliaptcr of accidents on 

 this lio'liter and less sombre note, and tell how 

 humour sometimes remained in the foreg^round 

 even if the x^ossibilities of tragedy lurked threaten- 

 ing in the rear. The tale used often to l)e told 

 on the Exeter E,oad how, on one occasion, when 

 Davis Avas driving the up " Quicksilver " Mail 

 between Baajshot and Staines on a dark night, 

 he ran into some obstruction, and the coach was 

 upset into the adjoining field, fortunately a wet 

 meadow. The " insides " were asleep at the time, 

 and they naturally awoke in the wildest alarm. 

 One, who did not grasp the situation, called out, 

 " Coachman, coachman, where are we ? " " By 

 God, sir," replied Davis, " I don't know, for I 

 was never here before in all my life ! " Happily, 

 nobody and nothing was hurt, and in twenty 

 minutes the coach was away, making up for 

 lost time. 



