154 MR. 



" That's a good-shaped beast," observed his lordship, as she now 

 came hitching round to the door ; " I really think she would make a 

 cover hack." 



" Sooner you ride her than me," replied Jack, seeing his lordship 

 was coming the dealer over him — praising the shape when he could 

 say nothing for the action. 



" Well, but she'll take you to Jawleyford Court as quick as the best 

 of them," rejoined his lordship ; adding, " the roads are wretched, 

 and Jaw's stables are a disgrace to humanity — might as well put a 

 horse in a cellar." 



" Well," observed Jack, retiring from the parlour window to his 

 little den along the passage, to put the finishing touch to his toilet — 

 the green cut-away and buff waistcoat, which he further set off with 

 a black satin stock — " Well," said he, " needs must when a certain 

 gentleman drives." 



He presently re-appeared full fig, rubbing a fine new eight-and- 

 sixpenny flat-brimmed hat round and round with a substantial puce- 

 coloured bandana. 



" Now for the specs ! " exclaimed he, with the gaiety of a man in 

 his Sunday's best, bound on a holiday trip. " Now for the silver 

 specs ! " repeated he. 



" Ah, true," replied his lordship; "I'd forgot the specs." (He 

 hadn't, only he thought his silver-mounted ones would be safer in his 

 keeping than in Jack's.) " I'd forgot the specs. However, never 

 mind, you shall have these," said he, taking his tortoiseshell-rimmed 

 ones off his nose and handing them to Jack. 



" You promised me the silver ones," observed our friend Jack, 

 who wanted to be smart. 



" Did I ? " replied his lordship ; " I declare I'd forgot. Ah, yes, 

 I believe I did," added he, with an air of sudden enlightenment, — 

 " the pair up stairs ; but how the deuce to get at them I don't know, 

 for the key of the Indian cabinet is locked in the old oak press in the 

 still-room, and the key of the still-room is locked away in the linen- 

 press in the green lumber-room at the top of the house, and the key 

 of the green lumber-room is in a drawer at the bottom of the ward- 

 robe in the Star-chamber, and the — " 



" Ah, well ; never mind," grunted Jack, interrupting the laby- 

 rinth of lies. " I dare say these will do, — I dare say these will do," 

 putting them on; adding, " Now, if you'll lend me a shawl for my 

 neck, and a Mackintosh, my name shall be Walker." 



" Better make it Trotier" replied his lordship, " considering the 

 distance you have to go." 



" Good," said Jack, mounting and driving away. 



" It will be a blessing if we get there," observed Jack to the 

 liveried stable-lad, as the old bag of bones of a mare went hitching 

 and limping away. 



