Page:Historic highways of America (Volume 12).djvu/172

 round, and looks straight between the two leaders, as if he were saying to himself, 'We have done this often before, but now I think we shall have a crash.' He takes a rein in each hand; jerks and pulls at both; and dances on the splashing board with both feet (keeping his seat, of course) like the late lamented Ducrow on two of his fiery coursers. We come to the spot, sink down in the mire nearly to the coach windows, tilt on one side at an angle of forty-five degrees, and stick there. The insides scream dismally; the coach stops; the horses flounder; all the other six coaches stop; and their four-and-twenty horses flounder likewise: but merely for company, and in sympathy with ours. Then the following circumstances occur.

" (to the horses). 'Hi!'

Nothing happens. Insides scream again.

(to the horses). 'Ho!'

Horses plunge, and splash the black driver.

(looking out). 'Why, what on airth—'

Gentleman receives a variety of splashes and draws his head in again, without finish-