ike the devil!' he roared again a few
minutes afterwards, in fuming dissatisfaction with their rate of
progress.

'Baint I doing of it?' said the driver, turning angrily round. 'I ain't
going to ruin my governor's horses for strangers who won't pay double for
'em--not I. I am driving as fast as I can. If other folks get in the
way with their traps I suppose I must drive round 'em, sir?'

There was a slight crash.

'There!' continued the coachman. 'That's what comes of my turning
round!'

Sol looked out on the other side, and found that the forewheel of their
carriage had become locked in the wheel of a dogcart they had overtaken,
the road here being very narrow. Their coachman, who knew he was to
blame for this mishap, felt the advantage of taking time by the forelock
in a case of accusation, and began swearing at his victim as if he were
the sinner. Sol jumped out, and looking up at the occupants of the other
conveyance, saw against the sky the back elevation of his father and
Christopher Julian, sitting upon a little seat which they overhung, like
two big puddings upon a small dish.

'Father--what, you going?' said Sol. 'Is it about Berta that you've
come?'

'Yes, I got your letter,' said Chickerel, 'and I felt I should like to
come--that I ought to come, to save her from what she'll regret. Luckily,
this gentleman, a stranger to me, has given me a lift from Anglebury, or
I must have hired.' He pointed to Christopher.

'But he's Mr. Julian!' said Sol.

'You are Mrs. Petherwin's father?--I have travelled in your company
without knowing it!' exclaimed Christopher, feeling and looking both
astonished and puzzled. At first, it had appeared to him that, in direct
antagonism to his own purpose, her friends were favouring Ethelberta's
wedding; but it was evidently otherwise.

'Yes, that's father,' said Sol. 'Father, this is Mr. Julian. Mr.
Julian, this gentleman here is Lord Mountclere's brother--and, to cut the
story short, we all wish to stop the wedding.'

'Then let us get on, in Heaven's name!' said Mountclere. 'You are the
lady's father?'

'I am,' said Chickerel.

'Then you had better come into this carriage. We shall go faster than
the dogcart. Now, driver, are the wheels right again?'

Chickerel hastily entered with Mountclere, Sol joined them, and they sped
on. Christopher drove close in their rear, not quite certain whether he
did well in going further, now that there were plenty of