d face with
little pig eyes, a very long awkward body, and very short legs. He
was dressed in a blue coat, buff waistcoat, a sort of baggy grey or
thunder-and-lightning trousers, over which he had buttoned a pair of
long black gaiters. Having "peeled," he rubbed his hands and blew upon
them, as much as to say, "Now, gentlemen, won't you let me have a smell
of the fire?" and, accordingly, by a sort of military revolution, they
made a place for him right in the centre.

"Coldish night I reckon, sir," said Jorrocks, looking him over.

"Very cold indeed, very cold indeed," answered he, rubbing his elbows
against his ribs, and stamping with his feet. "I've just got off the top
of the Liverpool coach, and, I can assure you, it's very cold riding
outside a coach all day long--however, I always say that it's better
than being inside, though, indeed, it's very little that I trouble
coaches at all in the course of the year--generally travel in my own
carriage, only my family have it with them in Bristol now, where
I'm going to join them; but I'm well used to the elements, hunting,
shooting, and fishing, as I do constantly."

This later announcement made Jorrocks rouse up, and finding himself
in the company of a sportsman and one, too, who travelled in his
own carriage, he assumed a different tone and commenced on a fresh
tack--"and pray, may I make bold to inquire what country you hunts in,
sir?" said he.

"Oh! I live in Cheshire--Mainwaring's country, but Melton's the place I
chiefly hunt at,--know all the fellows there; rare set of dogs, to be
sure,--only country worth hunting in, to my mind."

_Jorrocks_. Rigler swells, though, the chaps, arn't they? Recollect
one swell of a fellow coming with his upper lip all over fur into our
country, thinking to astonish our weak minds, but I reckon we told him
out.

_Stranger_. What! you hunt, do you?

_Jorrocks_. A few--you've perhaps heard tell of the Surrey 'unt?

_Stranger_. Cocktail affair, isn't it?

_Jorrocks_. No such thing, I assure you. Cocktail indeed! I likes that.

_Stranger_. Well, but it's not what we calls a fast-coach.

_Jorrocks_. I doesn't know wot you calls a fast-coach, but if you've a
mind to make a match, I'll bet you a hat, ay, or half a dozen hats, that
I'll find a fellow to take the conceit out o' any your Meltonians.

_Stranger_. Oh! I don't doubt but you have some good men among you; I'm
sure I didn't mean anything offensive, by asking if it was a