I can't reach
it.' 'We'll soon see about that!' cries Lawless, flanking him with the
long whip. Well, the little wretch scrambled up somehow, like a monkey;
and as soon as he was ~403~~ safely landed, what does he do but lean
back, fold his arms, and winking at one of the helpers, squeak out, 'Oh,
crickey! ain't this spicy, just!' 'You're never going to take that poor
child?' says I; 'only think of his anxious mother! 'Well, sir, if you'll
believe it, they every one of 'em burst out laughing--helpers, brat and
all--as if I'd said something very ridiculous. 'Never mind, governor,'
says Lawless; 'depend upon it, his mother knows he's out,' and catching
hold of the reins, he clambers up into his seat, shouting, 'Give 'em
their heads! Stand clear! Chut! chut! 'As soon as the brutes found
they were loose, instead of starting off at a jog-trot, as reasonable,
well-behaved horses ought to do, what do you suppose they did? The beast
they tied on in front turned short round, stared Lawless in the face,
and stood up on its hind legs like a kangaroo, while the other animal
would not stir a peg, but, laying down his ears, gave a sort of a
screech, and kicked out behind. 'Pretty, playful things,' said Lawless,
flipping the ashes off the end of his cigar. 'Put his head straight,
William. Chut! chut! 'But the more he chutted the more they wouldn't go,
and began tearing and rampaging about the yard till I thought they'd be
over me, so I scrambled up a little low wall to get out of their way,
missed my footing, and tumbled over backwards on to a dung-heap, and
before I got up again they were off; but if that young jackanapes don't
break his neck some of those days, I'm a Dutchman! Umph! umph!"

"Lawless is a capital whip," replied I, "and the chestnuts, though
fiery, are not really vicious. I don't think there is much danger."

"Ah young men! young men! you're all foolish alike. I don't know how
you'd get on, if you hadn't a few old stagers like me to think for you
and give you good advice.--And that puts me in mind that I want to have
half an hour's serious conversation with you, Frank. Can you listen to
me now?"

"I am quite at your service, sir," replied I, resigning myself to my
fate with the best grace I could command.

"Umph! Well, you see, Frank, I've no chick nor child of my own, and I've
taken a kind of a fancy to you from a boy; you were always a good boy
and a clever boy, and you've gone on well at college, and distinguis