ing up the fat
porridge, and wondering how the lie would go down with Harry, who was then
discussing his master's merits and a horn of small beer with the lad who
was going to drive Jack.

Jawleyford Court was twenty miles from Woodmansterne as the crow flies, and
any distance anybody liked to call it by the road. The road, indeed, would
seem to have been set out with a view of getting as many hills and as
little level ground over which a traveller could make play as possible; and
where it did not lead over the tops of the highest hills, it wound round
their bases, in such little, vexatious, up-and-down, wavy dips as
completely to do away with all chance of expedition. The route was not
along one continuous trust, but here over a bit of turnpike and there over
a bit of turnpike, with ever and anon long interregnums of township roads,
repaired in the usual primitive style with mud and soft field-stones, that
turned up like flitches of bacon. A man would travel from London to Exeter
by rail in as short a time, and with far greater ease, than he would drive
from Lord Scamperdale's to Jawleyford Court. His lordship being aware of
this fact, and thinking, moreover, it was no use trashing a good horse over
such roads, had desired Frostyface to put an old spavined grey mare, that
he had bought for the kennel, into the dog-cart, and out of which, his
lordship thought, if he could get a day's work or two, she would come all
the cheaper to the boiler.

'That's a good-shaped beast,' observed his lordship, as she now came
hitching round to the door; 'I really think she would make a cover hack.'

'Sooner you ride her than me,' replied Jack, seeing his lordship was coming
the dealer over him--praising the shape when he could say nothing for the
action.

'Well, but she'll take you to Jawleyford Court as quick as the best of
them,' rejoined his lordship, adding, 'the roads are wretched, and Jaw's
stables are a disgrace to humanity--might as well put a horse in a cellar.'

'Well,' observed Jack, retiring from the parlour window to his little den
along the passage, to put the finishing touch to his toilet--the green
cutaway and buff waistcoat, which he further set off with a black satin
stock--'Well,' said he, 'needs must when a certain gentleman drives.'

He presently reappeared full fig, rubbing a fine new eight-and-sixpenny
flat-brimmed hat round and round with a substantial puce-coloured bandana.
'Now for the specs!' exclaimed h