182 LIVERPOOL 



we found the road perfectly clear and hard, no snow 

 having fallen there. 



Anxious to get to Carlisle in time for the mail to 

 Liverpool, I promised the boys a crown a piece if they 

 could accomplish that object ; this they did to a minute, 

 and, giving them the promised reward, I got into the 

 mail, after hastily swallowing a cup of hot coffee. 



A long day's ride, tedious indeed to me, brought us to 

 Liverpool at half-past three the following morning ; and, 

 knowing the coach for London, of which my father was 

 part proprietor, left at six, I did not take my clothes off, 

 but lay down for an hour or tAvo. Sleep I could not ; 

 and therefore, directed by the boots, I got up and walked 

 to the " Saracen's Head," in Dale Street. It wanting an 

 hour to the time of the coach's starting, I inquired of the 

 book-keeper what room there was, and on his telling me 

 there was a vacancy for one, I desired him to put my 

 name down. On informing liim who I was, he imme- 

 diately sent for his master, as he Avas sure he would be 

 extremely angry if he knew I had been in Liver^Dool and 

 he had not seen me. 



This Mr. Bretherton was a gentleman of a much higher 

 standard than country proprietors attained generally. 

 He was highly connected in this large commercial town — 

 indeed, he has since risen to considerable wealth and 

 importance in it ; and I could but feel myself flattered 

 with this mark of attention. He pressed me very hard 

 to stop a day with him, but I was so bent on getting 

 home as speedily as j^ossible, that I politely declined ; 

 and, after half-an-hour's chat, chiefly on business affairs, 

 I took my leave of him, and got into the coach. 



