176 YORK 



his master's question, and perhaps aroused his suspicion, 

 and was proceeding to his seat. 



" Stop ! " said the master ; " I never saw a guinea-pig." 

 Getting on the hind wheel, he opened the boot and 

 looked in, when, to his great surprise, he saw two 

 grenadiers. 



" AVell," said he, looking at the guard, " they are two 

 beauties ; where did you bring them from, guard ? " 



This was rather a question ad hominem. My brother 

 and I getting in, Ave did not hear any more of the 

 dialogue, and saw no more of the guinea-pigs. 



After travelling all that night, we arrived at York the 

 next afternoon, when, in dismissing the guard with his 

 fee, my brother, who would be a little waggish, observed 

 that guinea-pigs Avere pretty things, but not always 

 agreeable in the sight of strangers. 



We continued our journey to KcAvcastle, where Ave 

 arrived the folloAving evening. HaA'ing acquired an 

 additional number of passengers — it Avas a six inside 

 coach — the dull monotony of the surrounding country, 

 covered as it were Avith one Avhite sheet, calling for little 

 or no observation, could only be relicA^ed by conversation ; 

 and my brother, Avho possessed a good flow of animal 

 spirits, kept us alive by some piquant remark on every 

 little occurrence, or by otherwise evoking the laughter of 

 us all by his poAvers of mimicry, which he would exercise 

 indiscriminately on those present as well as absent. 



He Avas altogether an oddity, and had a strong inkling 

 for the stage ; and AA^hen I mention that the celebrated 

 Keeley was his brother apprentice and close associate, the 

 reader will not Avonder at his imbibing and possessing a 



