CHAP. V. .inllN HETCALF, ROAD MAKKH. M 



readily dispose of on liis return liomc. His knowledge 

 of horseflesh- in \vliich he was, of course, mainly guided 

 lv his acute sense of feeling also proved highly ser- 

 viceable to him, and he bought considerable numbers of 

 horses in Yorkshire for sale in Scotland, bringing back 

 galloways in return. It is supposed that at the same 

 time he carried on a profitable contraband trade in tea 

 ami such like articles. After this he began a new line 

 of business, that of common carrier between York and 

 Kiiaresborough, plying the first stage-waggon on that 

 road. He made the journey twice a week in summer 

 and once a week in winter. He also undertook the con- 

 veyance of army baggage, most other owners of carts 

 at that time being afraid of soldiers, regarding them as 

 a wild rough set, with whom it was dangerous to have 

 any dealings. But Metcalf knew them better, and whilst 

 he drove a profitable trade in carrying their baggage 

 from town to town, they never did him any harm. By 

 these means, he very shortly succeeded in realising a 

 considerable store of savings, besides being able to main- 

 tain his family in respectability and comfort. 



Metcalf, however, had not yet entered upon the main 

 business of his life. The reader will already have 

 observed how strong of heart and resolute of purpose he 

 was. During his adventurous career he had acquired 

 a more than ordinary share of experience of the world. 

 Stone blind as he had been from his childhood, he had 

 not been able to study books, but he had carefully studied 

 men. He could read characters with wonderful quick- 

 ness, rapidly taking stock, as he called it, of those with 

 whom he came in contact. In his youth, as we have 

 seen, he could follow the hounds on horse or on foot, 

 and managed to be in at the death with the most expert 

 riders. His travels about the country as a guide to those 

 who could see, as a musician, soldier, chapman, fish- 

 dealer, horse-dealer, and waggoner, had given him a 

 perfectly familiar acquaintance with the northern roads. 



