304 THE COACHING AGE. 



' " I am aware of that, sir," I replied ; " but I was 

 about to submit to you the hardship that one poor 

 subordinate of the establishment will have to suffer if 

 you are all determined to take advantage of this 

 error and keep your seats.' 



' " How do you propose to remedy it ?" asked the 

 Baronet. 



' " It can only be remedied in one way," said I, 

 " and that is by one getting out." 



' " And which of us is that to be ? Are we 'to cast 

 lots T he inquired. 



' " Why," I replied, " in common fairness it ought 

 to be the last who was booked. This lady and 

 gentleman " (who were standing at the coach door ; I 

 knew them to be the widow of Buonaparte's General 

 Drouet and her son) " have been booked a week." 



' " And who was the last to pay V 



"'You, Sir William," I said. 



' Without another word or further delay, he at once 

 got out, and taking the seat beside me which I had 

 purposely reserved, we proceeded on our journey, and 

 he said not a word in disparagement of my decision.' 



The man to whom the above incident occurred had 

 at one time been a coach -proprietor as well as a 

 coachman, and was the son of a coach-proprietor in a 

 large way of business. After his death the son 

 continued in business in both capacities for some 



