t-paths; and they were not a few,
for the streets were quite gay, even at that early hour, with parties
going to this or that railway station, or to the boats which crowded the
canals on this bright holiday week; and almost every one they met seemed
to enter into Mrs. Hall's exhilaration of feeling, and had a smile or
nod in return. At last she plumped down by Libbie, and exclaimed, "I
never was in a coach but once afore, and that was when I was a-going to
be married. It's like heaven; and all done over with such beautiful
gimp, too!" continued she, admiring the lining of the vehicle. Jupiter
did not enjoy it so much.

As if the holiday time, the lovely weather, and the "sweet hour of
prime" had a genial influence, as no doubt they have, everybody's heart
seemed softened towards poor Franky. The driver lifted him out with the
tenderness of strength, and bore him carefully down to the boat; the
people then made way, and gave him the best seat in their power,--or
rather I should call it a couch, for they saw he was weary, and insisted
on his lying down,--an attitude he would have been ashamed to assume
without the protection of his mother and Libbie, who now appeared,
bearing their baskets and carrying Peter.

Away the boat went, to make room for others, for every conveyance,
both by land and water, is in requisition in Whitsun-week, to give
the hard-worked crowds the opportunity of enjoying the charms of the
country. Even every standing-place in the canal packets was occupied,
and as they glided along, the banks were lined with people, who seemed
to find it object enough to watch the boats go by, packed close and full
with happy beings brimming with anticipations of a day's pleasure. The
country through which they passed is as uninteresting as can well be
imagined; but still it is the country: and the screams of delight from
the children, and the low laughs of pleasure from the parents, at every
blossoming tree that trailed its wreath against some cottage wall, or
at the tufts of late primroses which lingered in the cool depths of
grass along the canal banks, the thorough relish of everything, as
if dreading to let the least circumstance of this happy day pass over
without its due appreciation, made the time seem all too short, although
it took two hours to arrive at a place only eight miles from Manchester.
Even Franky, with all his impatience to see Dunham woods (which I think
he confused with London, believing both t