dy.
"Oh, yes," they all cried, "let's go in the _Family Coach_."
It was therefore arranged, and _John the Coachman_ had orders
to get everything ready. This was no light matter, for the
_Family Coach_ had not been used for many years, and it would
need to be taken to the coachbuilder's at once and be
overhauled. So the next morning it lumbered off, and it did
not come back for a week; but when it did there was a change
indeed. The _wheels_ had been painted red, the _axles_ had
been tested, the _springs_ renewed, the inside re-lined, the
_roof_ freshly upholstered, and the whole made bright and
gay. At last the morning came, a clear, sunny day, and
punctually at nine _John_ rattled up to the door. The
_horses_ stood there pawing the ground, as if ready to gallop
all the way. _John_ had a new coat and hat, and Tim and
Peter, the _grooms_, were also in new livery. Every one was
ready. First came _Mr. Burly_ in a wonderful great overcoat,
and then _Mrs. Burly_ in furs. Then _Uncle Joshua_, then
_Aunt Penelope_, and then the three girls and two boys. How
they all found room I don't know, but they did. "Are we all
ready?" said _Mr. Burly_. "All ready," said _Uncle Joshua_.
So _Tim_ and _Peter_ sprang away from the _horses'_ heads,
crack went the _whip_, round went the _wheels_, _Uncle
Joshua_ blew the _horn_, and the old _Family Coach_ was
fairly on its journey.

It was a splendid ride. _John_ kept his _horses_ going at a
grand pace and hardly used the _whip_ at all, the _wheels_
ran smoothly over the road, and whenever we passed through a
village _Uncle Joshua_ blew the _horn_. We stopped at
Thornminster for lunch. _John_ brought us up to the inn door
in style, and the _landlord_ came out rubbing his hands and
helped _Mrs. Burly_ and _Aunt Penelope_ down with a flourish.
"Proud to see you, sir," he said to _Mr. Burly_. "It is
seldom enough that folks travel nowadays in an old _Family
Coach_. I wish there were more of them."

After lunch we went along in the same splendid way until
suddenly round a corner came a donkey-cart with the donkey
braying at the top of his voice. _John_ pulled the _horses_
well over to the side, but the braying was too much for them,
and they rolled into the ditch. In a moment the old _Family
Coach_ was overturned. _Mr. Burly_ was shot in