THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 71 



put a bit of my box-coat over your knees, 'twill keep off 

 the dust from your clothes." 



" I like being on the box very much," replied Frank, 

 " but how it shakes ! " 



"Ay, master," said the old coachman, "it does that, 

 sure enough, 'specially with one who ain't used to it ; 

 they do say, they are going to put the boxes of all stage- 

 coaches on springs, but Heaven knows when that will 

 be not in my time, I fear. Our people say it won't do, 

 that we shall go to sleep upon them ; but there's no danger 

 of a man doing that now, even if he should be a bit 

 overtaken with drink. But, Master Francis, there is a 

 great deal of hart in sitting on a coach-box, as well as 

 in driving four houses. Your body must go with the 

 swing of the box, and let your lines (loins) be as lissom as 

 you can. It would kill a man, in a week, to drive as far as 

 I do, over such a road as this, if he did not do as I say." 



" You have got good horses in the coach, "Wilkins," 

 observed Frank. 



" Good creatures in natur', sir," was that worthy's reply, 

 " but they haven't no chance. This here sixteen miles of 

 ground and only one rest-horse, kills them. To be sure, 

 master grubs them well, or they'd been dead years ago." 



" Years ago ! why, how old are they ? " 



" Why, I was going to say, you must ask my father that 

 question. Howsoniever, I have drove three of the four, 

 nine years, and t'other came to this coach from the 

 ' Express,' the first year I drove it : I think he must be 

 quite twenty." 



" But how fat he is ! " 



"Always the case with groggy ones," observed Mr. 

 Wilkins ; " as soon as they have filled their bellies, they 

 are down on their bed, because they are in pain when 

 they stand up. A foundered coach-horse, like a gouty 

 alderman, is always fat. But this near wheeler is my 

 favorite (giving him, at the moment, three tremendous 

 stripes, with his double thong, over his back, and two 

 over his ears, followed by a sort of rolling noise in his 

 throat, resembling that made by gargling for a sore one) ; 

 you'll see how he'll hug his collar going up Brampton- 

 hill, at the end of this stage. He's half a team himself, 

 but still lie's an awkward chap to drive. There's some 

 difference, sir, I can assure you, between driving well- 

 bitted fresh horses, like your papa's, and such dead-alive 



