Tomfindsadifficultyinjumping，orindeedinfindingthetopofthewheelwithhisfeet，whichmaybeinthenextworldforallhefeels；sotheguardpickshimoffthecoachtop，andsetshimonhislegs，andtheystumpoffintothebar，andjointhecoachmanandtheotheroutsidepassengers。
Hereafresh-lookingbarmaidservesthemeachwithaglassofearlypurlastheystandbeforethefire，coachmanandguardexchangingbusinessremarks。ThepurlwarmsthecocklesofTom’sheart，andmakeshimcough。
“Raretacklethat，sir，ofacoldmorning，“saysthecoachman，smiling。“Time’sup。“Theyareoutagainandup；coacheethelast，gatheringthereinsintohishandsandtalkingtoJemthehostleraboutthemare’sshoulder，andthenswinginghimselfupontothebox——thehorsesdashingoffinacanterbeforehefallsintohisseat。Toot-toot-tootle-toogoesthehorn，andawaytheyareagain，five-and-thirtymilesontheirroad(nearlyhalf-waytoRugby，thinksTom)，andtheprospectofbreakfastattheendofthestage。
Andnowtheybegintosee，andtheearlylifeofthecountry-
sidecomesout——amarketcartortwo；meninsmock-frocksgoingtotheirwork，pipeinmouth，awhiffofwhichisnobadsmellthisbrightmorning。Thesungetsup，andthemistshineslikesilvergauze。Theypassthehoundsjoggingalongtoadistantmeet，attheheelsofthehuntsman’sback，whosefaceisaboutthecolourofthetailsofhisoldpink，asheexchangesgreetingswithcoachmanandguard。Nowtheypullupatalodge，andtakeonboardawell-muffled-upsportsman，withhisgun-caseandcarpet-bag，Anearlyup-coachmeetsthem，andthecoachmengatheruptheirhorses，andpassoneanotherwiththeaccustomedliftoftheelbow，eachteamdoingelevenmilesanhour，withamiletosparebehindifnecessary。Andherecomesbreakfast。
“Twentyminuteshere，gentlemen，“saysthecoachman，astheypullupathalf-pastsevenattheinn-door。
Havewenotendurednoblythismorning？andisnotthisaworthyrewardformuchendurance？Thereisthelow，darkwainscotedroomhungwithsportingprints；thehat-stand(withawhiportwostandingupinitbelongingtobagmenwhoarestillsnuginbed)bythedoor；theblazingfire，withthequaintoldglassoverthemantelpiece，inwhichisstuckalargecardwiththelistofthemeetsfortheweekofthecountyhounds；thetablecoveredwiththewhitestofclothsandofchina，andbearingapigeon-pie，ham，roundofcoldboiledbeefcutfromamammothox，andthegreatloafofhouseholdbreadonawoodentrencher。
Andherecomesinthestoutheadwaiter，puffingunderatrayofhotviands——kidneysandasteak，transparentrashersandpoachedeggs，butteredtoastandmuffins，coffeeandtea，allsmokinghot。Thetablecanneverholditall。Thecoldmeatsareremovedtothesideboard——theywereonlyputonforshowandtogiveusanappetite。Andnowfallon，gentlemenall。Itisawell-knownsporting-house，andthebreakfastsarefamous。
Twoorthreemeninpink，ontheirwaytothemeet，dropin，andareveryjovialandsharp-set，asindeedweallare。
“Teaorcoffee，sir？“saysheadwaiter，comingroundtoTom。
“Coffee，please，“saysTom，withhismouthfullofmuffinandkidney。Coffeeisatreattohim，teaisnot。
Ourcoachman，Iperceive，whobreakfastswithus，isacoldbeefman。Healsoeschewshotpotations，andaddictshimselftoatankardofale，whichisbroughthimbythebarmaid。Sportsmanlooksonapprovingly，andordersadittoforhimself。
Tomhaseatenkidneyandpigeon-pie，andimbibedcoffee，tillhislittleskinisastightasadrum；andthenhasthefurtherpleasureofpayingheadwaiteroutofhisownpurse，inadignifiedmanner，andwalksoutbeforetheinn-doortoseethehorsesputto。Thisisdoneleisurelyandinahighly-finishedmannerbythehostlers，asiftheyenjoyedthenotbeinghurried。Coachmancomesoutwithhiswaybill，andpuffingafatcigarwhichthesportsmanhasgivenhim。Guardemergesfromthetap，whereheprefersbreakfasting，lickingroundatough-
lookingdoubtfulcheroot，whichyoumighttieroundyourfinger，andthreewhiffsofwhichwouldknockanyoneelseoutoftime。
Thepinksstandabouttheinn-doorlightingcigarsandwaitingtoseeusstart，whiletheirhacksareledupanddownthemarket-place，onwhichtheinnlooks。Theyallknowoursportsman，andwefeelareflectedcreditwhenweseehimchattingandlaughingwiththem。
“Now，sir，please，“saysthecoachman。Alltherestofthepassengersareup；theguardislockingupthehind-boot。
“Agoodruntoyou！“saysthesportsmantothepinks，andisbythecoachman’ssideinnotime。
“Let’emgo，Dick！“Thehostlersflyback，drawingofftheclothsfromtheirglossyloins，andawaywegothroughthemarket-placeanddowntheHighStreet，lookinginatthefirst-
floorwindows，andseeingseveralworthyburgessesshavingthereat；whilealltheshopboyswhoarecleaningthewindows，andhousemaidswhoaredoingthesteps，stopandlookpleasedaswerattlepast，asifwewereapartoftheirlegitimatemorning’samusement。Weclearthetown，andarewelloutbetweenthehedgerowsagainasthetownclockstrikeseight。
Thesunshinesalmostwarmly，andbreakfasthasoiledallspringsandloosenedalltongues。Tomisencouragedbyaremarkortwooftheguard’sbetweenthepuffsofhisoilycheroot，andbesidesisgettingtiredofnottalking。Heistoofullofhisdestinationtotalkaboutanythingelse，andsoaskstheguardifheknowsRugby。
“Goesthroughiteverydayofmylife。Twentyminutesaforetwelvedown——teno’clockup。“
“Whatsortofplaceisit，please？“saysTom。
Guardlooksathimwithacomicalexpression。“Werryout-o’-
the-wayplace，sir；nopavingtostreets，nornolighting。
’Mazin’bighorseandcattlefairinautumn——lastsaweek——
justovernow。Takestownaweektogetcleanafterit。
Fairishhuntingcountry。Butslowplace，sir，slowplace-offthemainroad，yousee——onlythreecoachesaday，andoneon’ematwo-osswan，morelikeahearsenoracoach——Regulator——
comesfromOxford。Younggenl’m’natschoolcallsherPigandWhistle，andgoesuptocollegebyher(sixmilesanhour)whentheygoestoenter。Belongtoschool，sir？“
“Yes，“saysTom，notunwillingforamomentthattheguardshouldthinkhimanoldboy。Butthen，havingsomequalmsastothetruthoftheassertion，andseeingthatifheweretoassumethecharacterofanoldboyhecouldn’tgoonaskingthequestionshewanted，added——“Thatistosay，I’monmywaythere。I’manewboy。“
TheguardlookedasifheknewthisquiteaswellasTom。
“You’rewerrylate，sir，“saystheguard；“onlysixweeksto-daytotheendofthehalf。“Tomassented。“Wetakesupfineloadsthisdaysixweeks，andMondayandTuesdayarter。Hopesweshallhavethepleasureofcarryingyouback。“
Tomsaidhehopedtheywould；buthethoughtwithinhimselfthathisfatewouldprobablybethePigandWhistle。
“Itpaysuncommoncert’nly，“continuestheguard。“Werryfreewiththeircashistheyounggenl’m’n。But，Lor’blessyou，wegetsintosuchrowsall’longtheroad，whatwi’theirpea-
shooters，andlongwhips，andhollering，andupsettingeveryoneascomesby，I’dasightsoonercarryoneortwoon’em，sir，asImaybea-carryin’ofyounow，thanacoach-load。“
“Whatdotheydowiththepea-shooters？“inquiresTom。
“Dowi’’em！Why，pepperseveryone’sfacesaswecomesnear，’cepttheyounggals，andbreakswindowswi’themtoo，someon’emshootssohard。Now’twasjustherelastJune，aswewasa-
drivingupthefirst-dayboys，theywasmendin’aquarter-mileofroad，andtherewasalotofIrishchaps，reg’larroughs，a-
breakingstones。Aswecomesup，’Now，boys，’saysyounggentonthebox(smartyoungfellowanddesper’treckless)，’here’sfun！LetthePatshaveitabouttheears。’’God’ssakesir！’
saysBob(that’smymatethecoachman)；’don’tgofortoshootat’em。They’llknockusoffthecoach。’’Damme，coachee，’
saysyoungmylord，’youain’tafraid——Hoora，boys！let’emhaveit。’’Hoora！’singsouttheothers，andfilltheirmouthschoke-fullofpeastolastthewholeline。Bob，seeingas’twastocome，knockshishatoverhiseyes，hollerstohisosses，andshakes’emup；andawaywegoesuptothelineon’em，twentymilesanhour。ThePatsbegintohooratoo，thinkingitwasarunaway；andfirstloton’emstandsgrinnin’andwavin’theiroldhatsaswecomesabreaston’em；andthenyou’dha’laughedtoseehowtookabackandchokingsavagetheylooked，whentheygetsthepeasa-stingingallover’em。Butblessyou，thelaughweren’tallofourside，sir，byalongway。Wewasgoingsofast，andtheywassotookaback，thattheydidn’ttakewhatwasuptillwewashalf-wayuptheline。Then’twas，’Lookoutall！’surely。Theyhowlsalldownthelinefittofrightenyou；
someon’emrunsarterusandtriestoclamberupbehind，onlywehits’emoverthefingersandpullstheirhandsoff；oneashadhaditverysharpact’lyrunsrightattheleaders，asthoughhe’dketch’embytheheads，onlyluck’lyforhimhemisseshistipandcomesoveraheapo’stonesfirst。Therestpicksupstones，andgivesitusrightawaytillwegetsoutofshot，theyounggentsholdingoutwerrymanfulwiththepea-
shootersandsuchstonesaslodgedonus，andaprettymanytherewastoo。ThenBobpickshisselfupagain，andlooksatyounggentonboxwerrysolemn。Bob’dhadarumunintheribs，which’dliketoha’knockedhimoffthebox，ormadehimdropthereins。Younggentonboxpickshisselfup，andsodoesweall，andlooksroundtocountdamage。Box’sheadcutopenandhishatgone；’notheryounggent’shatgone；mineknockedinattheside，andnotoneonusaswasn’tblackandbluesomewheresoranother，moston’emallover。Twopoundtentopayfordamagetopaint，whichtheysubscribedforthereandthen，andgiveBobandmeaextrahalf-sovereigneach；butIwouldn’tgodownthatlineagainnotfortwentyhalf-sovereigns。“Andtheguardshookhisheadslowly，andgotupandblewaclear，brisktoot-toot。
