THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 301 



' Why, sir, you seems very intimate with that there 

 Lord.' " 



" Capital ! " exclaimed Lord Edmonston ; " Junius him- 

 self never gave a man a more severe rebuke. Let me 

 ask you a question. From your constant observation of 

 character, are you able to distinguish beforehand the 

 persons from whom you are likely to be best remunerated 

 for your trouble at all events, those who will do you 

 justice, by giving you the customary fee? " 



"There are but three descriptions of passengers," 

 replied Jem, " who pay more than the accustomed fee, 

 and those are very soon picked out. There is, first, the 

 gentleman who not only bespeaks the box place, but who 

 asks questions about the horses, &c. ; he is sure to come 

 the double tip. Next, is the quiet, gentlemanlike-looking 

 passenger, with a good collar to his coat, who merely asks 

 a few questions about the places we pass by on the road, 

 and who has a good-sized black portmanteau about the 

 coach. We are pretty sure of him. But the best 

 customer of all is the just paid-off sailor, three parts 

 drunk. I have often had a crown put into my hands by 

 one of those chaps, and once half a guinea, which I 

 refused. ' Why, you lubberly land lubber,' said he, ' if I 

 don't give it to you, I shall give it to the next that steers 

 us ; put it into your locker, and be thankful.' " 



" How do you find women pay you ? " asked Houghton. 



"Generally speaking, unless they happen to have a 

 young child about the coach, which you are kind to," 

 answered Jem, " or can throw in a word or two, to tickle 

 them about their good looks, they are the worst payers 

 we have. So far from giving us a double tip, they are 

 much more apt to tip us the -double when they can." 



" You don't seem to be very fond of the women, Jem," 

 said Goodall. 



" They are all very well in their places," replied Jem, 

 " but I don't like too many on 'em about my coach. I 

 hates the sight of a bandbox, and still worse of an old 

 maid and her lap-dog." 



" I observe," said Lord Edmonston, " there is not so 

 much swearing now among road coachmen as there used 

 to be, when I first travelled by coaches." 



" Please you, my Lord," answered Jem, " there is not so 

 much swearing among gentlemen as was used to be. De- 

 pend upon this, my Lord, we little ones borrows many 



