COACHMEN. 303 



In the place where the words ' Eoyal Blue ' were 

 printed was some ornamental printing work, similar 

 to that on bank-notes. 



I have only known one other instance of what I 

 may call a coach being overbooked inside, and that 

 happened to a coachman on quite a diflferent road, 

 who gave this account of it : 



' On one occasion, I remember that on a wet spring 

 morning I found the coach had been overbooked, 

 which subjected the proprietors to the charge of 

 a post-chaise for the whole distance, involving an 

 expense of ten pounds, in which the unfortunate 

 book-keeper who had committed the error would be 

 unmercifully mulcted. On my arrival at Kingsland 

 Gate, having already three inside passengers, one of 

 whom was a baronet, two others, whose names had been 

 entered in the book for a week, claimed their places. 



' I had been made acquainted with the error prior 

 to my mounting the box, and earnestly pressed by 

 the delinquent to do all I could to save him from the 

 penalty. 



' Accordingly I got down, and knowing that with 

 rational people a plain statement of facts has always 

 the best effect, I explained, in as few words as 

 possible, the nature of the dilemna we were in. 



' "You are bound to find a conveyance, coachman," 

 said a crusty old limb of the law, who sat mufiied up 

 in one corner. 



