. An early snowfall had left them
in rather a mixed condition, and the air had a chill in it that did not
invite extended travel. We could ship by boat to our nearest Sound port,
and the fifteen-mile drive from there seemed no great matter.

We admired the dignity with which His Lordship drew up in front of our
New York hotel. He was a large, handsome animal, sorrel as to color, and
of a manner befitting his station and advanced years. It was evident
that we were not of his class, but with the gentle tact of true nobility
he never, either then or later, permitted this difference in rank to
make us uncomfortable. He even allowed us to call him "Beek," "Old
Beek," "good Old Beek," especially when there was a lump of sugar in
prospect. He was very human.

But I anticipate. We were delighted with Lord Beaconsfield and his
appurtenances. As for the Joy, she was quite beside herself. Anything
with the semblance of a horse would excite the Joy. I got in with the
driver, and we made our way to the river-front, where I saw His Lordship
to his state-room and the surrey stored away. I don't suppose in all his
twenty years he had ever taken a voyage before, but he showed no
nervousness or undue surprise, and that night at the port of arrival he
came stepping down the gang-plank as unconcernedly as the oldest
traveler. We were up and away rather early next morning, for we wished
to travel leisurely, and we were not familiar with the road.

On inquiry we learned there were two roads--one to the east and one to
the west of a little river, the same that formed a mill-pond in
Westbury's door-yard, and here a wide orderly stream flowed into the
sea. The "Glen" road--the one to the east--was thought to be the
shorter, so we chose that. It was a good selection, so far as scenery
was concerned, but if I had the same drive to make again I would go the
other way. With the exception of a small box of lunch crackers for the
Joy, we had provided no food for the journey, for we said we could stop
at a village inn when the time came and get something warm. That was a
good idea, only there were no villages. There was not even a country
store in that lost land of forest and hill and rocky cliff and desolate
open field. Now and then we came to a house, but so dead and forbidding
was its aspect that we did not dare even to ask our way. Never a soul
appeared in the door-yard, and if smoke came from the chimney it was a
thin, blue wisp as from dying e