390 THE COACHING AGE. 



the guard had to make the best explanation he could 

 of the lost time. 



I have heard of two cases in which the guards, 

 having got into such a dilemma, and being unable to 

 think of a" satisfactory excuse to offer, adopted 

 different modes of extricating themselves. 



To those who do not know how the mail-guard's 

 timepiece was carried, I may mention that it was 

 locked up in a small wooden box, having a circular 

 aperture in it the same size as the face of the time- 

 piece, which could be seen without opening the box ; 

 while there was no way of getting at the timepiece, 

 or altering it, without opening the box, which the 

 guard carried in his leather pouch by a strap over 

 his shoulder, similar somewhat to those worn by 

 railway - guards. The mail - guard's pouch and 

 strap, however, were of plain brown leather, and 

 underneath, next his body, was a circular hole in 

 the pouch, through which the face of the timepiece 

 could be seen ; in order to know at any moment 

 what o'clock it was, he had only just to lift up his 

 pouch, and at once see the face of the timepiece. 



Having thus explained the arrangement as to the 

 timepiece, showing that the guard could not get at 

 it to move the hands, I will mention the mode in 

 which one guard endeavoured so to get at the time- 

 piece as to alter it, and make it appear that he had 



