e to be heard enough to frighten a pair of
hobby-horses. Piemen ringing their bells--blind fiddlers playing out of
tune--boys calling lists of the horses--drums beating at the
starting-post--ballad singers squalling at the full pitch of their
voices--horses galloping--grooms quarrelling--dogs barking--and children
crying.

In the midst of all this uproar, Harry unexpectedly observed Captain
Digby on horseback not far off. Without losing a moment, he stood up,
waving his handkerchief, and calling to beg he would come to the
carriage immediately, as they were in want of assistance; and Lady
Rockville told, as soon as he arrived, though hardly able to help
laughing while she explained it, the extraordinary predicament they had
been placed in. Captain Digby, upon hearing the story, looked ready to
go off like a squib with rage at the offending coachman, and instantly
seizing the driving-whip, he desired his servant to hold the horses'
heads, while he proceeded towards the drinking-booth, flourishing the
long lash in his hand as he went in a most ominous manner. Several
minutes elapsed, during which Harry overheard a prodigious outcry in the
tent, and then the drunken coachman was seen reeling away along the
road, while Captain Digby, still brandishing the whip, returned, and
mounting the dicky himself, he gathered up the reins, and insisted on
driving Lady Rockville's phaeton for her. Before long it was ranged
close beside a chariot so full of ladies, it seemed ready to burst, when
Harry was amused to perceive that Peter Grey and another boy, who were
seated on the rumble behind, had spread a table-cloth on the roof of the
carriage, using it for a dining-table, while they all seemed determined
to astonish their appetites by the quantity of oysters and sandwiches
they ate, and by drinking at the same time large tumblers of porter.
Lady Rockville wished she could have the loan of Harry and Laura's
spirits for an hour or two, when she saw how perfectly bewildered with
delight they were on beholding the thousands of eager persons assembled
on the race-ground,--jockeys riding about in liveries as gay as
tulips--officers in scarlet uniform--red flags fluttering in the
breeze--caravans exhibiting pictures of the wildest-looking beasts in
the world--bands of music--recruiting parties--fire-eaters, who dined on
red-hot pokers--portraits representing pigs fatter than the fattest in
the world--giants a head and three pair of shoulders