EXPERIENCES & REMINISCENCES. 41 



dark pall over the country, and a tremendous downpour of rain, 

 accompanied with wind, came on. Not a yard could be seen 

 in front, where sat Mr. Eyesax on the off-side driving (?), 

 Twynkles on the near side, and Master Hopper in the middle 

 between those two worthies. On the back seat of the dog--cart 

 clung Mr. Hopper and Uncle Peter the latter an old gentle- 

 man moving on towards 60, but still affecting juvenile manners 

 and gaiety. The rain ! it rained in torrents, fit to wash Mr. 

 Eyesax's human cargo right off his trap. Now for adventure 

 No. i. Approaching Fulstow village it was suddenly found 

 that our careful Jehu had landed his horse's head well nigh 

 through the rear part of a carrier's cart, much to the astonish- 

 ment and apparent fright of its occupants. However, Mr. 

 Eyesax just contrived to avoid running amuck right through 

 the tent covered vehicle, and we breathed once more. A word 

 of caution was now deemed necessary, and Mr. Eyesax was 

 directed not to drive quite so fast he had been shoving us 

 along at just upon 14 to the hour and to keep well to the left 

 side of the road. Twynkles was particularly emphatic on that 

 point, but old Eyesax would have it that it was " all right." 

 Through a couple of villages without mishap, and then crash ! 

 bang ! ! followed by the screeching of a woman's voice, with 

 goodness only knows how many kids howling. As good luck 

 would have it, Mr. Eyesax had only run his off wheel 

 inside the wheel or on to the step of the other 

 vehicle which, it should be remarked, had approached 

 from the opposite direction. After a bit of backing our Jehu 

 got clear, and, having ascertained that the small fry 

 in the other trap were only scared, we again went on our way. 

 Alas ! this time to destruction ! Master Hopper, who is quite 

 an expert in the matter of consulting his own safety, asked 

 Mr. Eyesax if in the course of his career as a driver he had 

 ever really run into any one. That wily old Jehu replied, 

 "Niver in the whole course of his existence." Mr. Hopper 

 and friends were just beginning to think that after all the other 

 people we had collided with might possibly be in the wrong, 

 when crash ! bang ! again. Twynkles was sent flying out in 



