86 WALTHAM CROSS 



his employers. This, of course, did not tend to put me 

 on very good terms Avith myself. 



After changing for the last time at Waltham Cross, 

 and it coming on dark, I forgot, if I had ever known, 

 the double gate at Kingsland, and the glare of the lamps 

 not permitting me to see that the further one Avas closed, 

 my leaders ran against it, and the force of the con- 

 cussion knocked them on their haunches, and very much 

 discomposed my nerves. The confusion Avas very great 

 — one of the bars being broken, and the leaders partly 

 under the Avheel horses. I got doAvn, and, there being 

 plenty of assistance, soon liberated the team, replaced 

 the broken bar Avith a spare one Ave ahA^nys carried, and 

 being pretty Avell up in knotting and splicing, made the 

 reins right. No further mischief having been done, I 

 proceeded on the journey ; but had the greatest difficulty 

 in piloting the team — one of AA^hich, a Avheel horse, I 

 recognized as the animal I had cured of his evil pro- 

 pensities at Oxford by my knoAvledge of hydropathics — 

 through the city — one pulling, another rearing, and all 

 from their excited state being nearly unmanageable. 

 HoAvever, at last, much to my relief, I landed them safe 

 in the " Golden Cross " yard ; and to those Avho recollect 

 that yard before it Avas purchased by GoA'ernment and 

 pulled doAvn, this Avill appear to have been no A'ery easy 

 task. 



Before I got off the box, the proprietor, speaking to 

 me from the office door, cried, — 



" Oh, you are there, sir, are you ? " 



My friend the Avine merchant Avas Avith him, and, as I 

 supposed, had made him acquainted Avith the Avhole 



