DOGS 197 



at Cambridge was one of those independent sort of men 

 of the lower class, who well understood his work and did 

 it. Like some of his fellows, he was aware of this ; 

 always walking with his head up, his cap set jauntily on 

 one side, and a flower between his lips, like people of 

 better quality. Another appurtenance he had, too, 

 Avhich some men of all ranks prize, and women as well, a 

 favourite dog. It was his custom, and his duty, to be at 

 the inn a few minutes before the coach arrived ; and he 

 would sit on the stone against the gateway, with a pretty 

 little bull- terrier, he valued at two guineas, between his 

 knees. On my pulling up, he would first unhook the 

 leaders' traces, draw the reins, then detach the wheel 

 horses, and take them down the street to the stable, ^ly 

 brother dragsman had a dog also. His was a spaniel of a 

 very choice breed, that would sometimes follow his master 

 to the coach ; and, on its starting, return home. I passed 

 this coachman that day just before I got to the inn. He 

 had his white gloves on and his dog with him. On my 

 stopping, he went, as was his custom, to the hind boot 

 to sort his parcels. The mistress of the house stepped to 

 the coach door, to assist the ladies out, necessarily one 

 foot in advance of the other. I threw the reins down, 

 and was in the act of dismounting, when the varmint 

 horsekeeper's pet, catching sight of Bob's spaniel, flew in 

 a moment right between the hostess's feet, one of which 

 was on the step of the coach, knocked her down, and 

 fastened on the unoffending quadruped. 



Bob dropped his parcels to relieve his dog from the 

 silent fix in which the bull-terrier had got him ; and Mr. 

 Horsekeeper left his horses with three of the four leaders' 



