THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 297 



three sets of road harness ; two sets for a pair ; two for 

 the break ; two of single harness ; three pairs of lamps ; 

 four sets of bars ; two tool boxes, complete ; three skids, 

 and two drag-chains ; seven box coats (besides those on 

 the coach in the yard), and seventeen whips, some of 

 them having the appearance of not being made yesterday. 

 Then an interesting spectacle followed. At a given 

 moment the party having returned to the house to 

 finish the bowl of " bishop" the three teams came to the 

 door, taking a sweep round the large grass plot in front 

 of the hall door, which set them oft' to advantage. The 

 Baronet's led the way, driven by his head coachman, and 

 followed by that of Mr. Herson, driven also by his ; whilst 

 Jem Powell brought up our hero's in equally good style. 

 As may be supposed, they became the subject of remark, 

 but the preference, as to horses, was unanimously given 

 to that of Mr. Herson ; and deservedly so, no doubt. In 

 the first place, the prices given for them entitled them to 

 be first- rate; in the next, they were nearly thorough- 

 bred ; and lastly, they were as fresh on their legs as when 

 they first felt the rein, which could not be said of the two 

 other teams, some of each of which showed marks of 

 something beyond what is called gentleman's work. 



Having taken leave of their host, who expressed him- 

 self much pleased with our young sportsman's turn-out, 

 as well as the coachmanlike style in which he approached 

 the house on his arrival, they pursued their road home- 

 ward, allowing themselves the same length of time to 

 perform the twenty-four miles of ground. 



" Now, Jem," said Jack Webber, after passing the park 

 gates, " let us have a little of your history. By the 

 colour on your cheeks, you appear to be all the better 

 for the Baronet's good cheer, and, as I said before, your 

 tongue will slip over the ground like a newly-greased 

 wheel." 



"My history," said Jem, "is told in a few words. I 

 have been a road coachman these three-and-thirty years, 

 and never lay rest, thank God, more than a dozen 

 journeys in all that time, except when I broke my leg, 

 and had my right foot frost-bitten. Then I had like 

 you gentlemen, who goes to school and college to fit you 

 for your situations the regular education of a coachman. 

 I did not jump from off some country gentleman's pair- 

 orse coach-box, or from behind a counter in a coach-office, 



