130 OLD COACHING DAYS 



given me the ribbons of his (the leading) 

 coach, and taken the brake seat. 



Just before we reached Lowood Hotel, 

 a blind turn showed a wood-waggon half 

 across the road. The driver was away, 

 probably nutting, and the road on the lake 

 side was unfenced. We were coming 

 smartly down hill. '' Take his wheel off, 

 sir," quoth Bell coolly, at the same time 

 taking off the brake. W^ith a shout at the 

 leaders, I double-thonged the wheelers, and, 

 probably more by luck than anything else, 

 took his near hind-wheel just inside the felloe 

 with my off one. The shock was scarcely 

 perceptible to me, but, as Bell had calculated, 

 it was too great for the rusty old linch-pin, 

 and the wheel actually followed us some 

 way down the hill. The cart-horses only 

 gave one frightened movement, so I was 



