e hollow below." "And
what's to become of my chaise?" said the postillion, looking ruefully on
the fallen vehicle. "Let us leave the chaise for the present," said I;
"we can be of no use to it." "I don't like to leave my chaise lying on
the ground in this weather," said the man; "I love my chaise, and him
whom it belongs to." "You are quite right to be fond of yourself," said
I, "on which account I advise you to seek shelter from the rain as soon
as possible." "I was not talking of myself," said the man, "but my
master, to whom the chaise belongs." "I thought you called the chaise
yours," said I. "That's my way of speaking," said the man; "but the
chaise is my master's, and a better master does not live. Don't you
think we could manage to raise up the chaise?" "And what is to become of
the horses?" said I. "I love my horses well enough," said the man; "but
they will take less harm than the chaise. We two can never lift up that
chaise." "But we three can," said Belle; "at least, I think so; and I
know where to find two poles which will assist us." "You had better go
to the tent," said I, "you will be wet through." "I care not for a
little wetting," said Belle; "moreover, I have more gowns than one--see
you after the horses." Thereupon, I led the horses past the mouth of the
dingle, to a place where a gap in the hedge afforded admission to the
copse or plantation, on the southern side. Forcing them through the gap,
I led them to a spot amidst the trees, which I deemed would afford them
the most convenient place for standing; then, darting down into the
dingle, I brought up a rope, and also the halter of my own nag, and with
these fastened them each to a separate tree in the best manner I could.
This done, I returned to the chaise and the postillion. In a minute or
two Belle arrived with two poles, which, it seems, had long been lying,
overgrown with brushwood, in a ditch or hollow behind the plantation.
With these both she and I set to work in endeavouring to raise the fallen
chaise from the ground.

We experienced considerable difficulty in this undertaking; at length,
with the assistance of the postillion, we saw our efforts crowned with
success--the chaise was lifted up, and stood upright on three wheels.

"We may leave it here in safety," said I, "for it will hardly move away
on three wheels, even supposing it could run by itself; I am afraid there
is work here for a wheelwright, in which case I canno