GIPSIES 231 



my attention by his unceasing tongue, I found the coach 

 a little off its equilibrium on my side. To restore it, I 

 whipped the ofF-wheel horse, when a noise like the report 

 of a cannon, and I on my back, made me aware of the 

 consequences of inattention. 



I was on my legs in an instant, and soon sufficiently 

 recovered my senses to ascertain that I was unhurt and 

 near the spot where, but a few years before, I had had a 

 narrow escape with my life on the runaway mare. 



There were four young ladies inside, all of one party, 

 who were soundly asleep when the accident occurred, and 

 they innocently asked what had happened. 



After extricatino- them, and disentanoiino- the team, I 

 left three of them in charge of my valuable and voluble 

 fellow-traveller, who had, like myself, received little or 

 no injury, and mounting the other horse galloped to the 

 residence of my brother-in-Jaw, about a mile and a half 

 distant, to obtain assistance. This was immediately 

 granted, in the shape of three or four stout labourers and 

 a strong cart-rope, but on our return to the scene of my 

 misadventure I found the coach upon her legs and in the 

 road, the ladies again in the inside, and only w^aiting for 

 me to put to, and proceed on the journey. 



In this j)art of the forest was a plain or large dale, that 

 afforded scope and shelter to a number of those wandering- 

 people whose virtues are the theme of some of our first 

 "WTiters of fiction, thouo;h in real life these are exhibited 

 chiefly in the hen-roosts and dovecotes of the neighbour- 

 ing farmers. Hence the quick and workman-like manner 

 in which all things had been put right. After thanking 

 the motley group of males and females, children and 



