A Blot on the Scutcheon

d the wind blowing from the north-east full against the g

ney's end. Passengers outside poured anathemas against the weather and the slowness

iver were able to crack occasional jokes, whilst one alo

holy either, in face of such a gale, and the coach an hour behind time! Even his comrad

-so an Oxford wag declared-would have found f

For Heaven's sake,

of the coach and called al

s chalk, had burst through the hedge on thei

, for He

and the anathemas of the beetroot-nosed

had scaled a high garden wall with a child's ball-h

ve a drink, my friend, and tell us the merry new

extended flask readily enough, and proce

's sheep, and had just stepped into the copse near, when he h

l-digger, as they discussed how they and the rest of their band meant to rob the Oxford coach at Craven's Hollow, not far from Reading. Seven was the ho

re dialect, but the outline of it was enou

this thing, one the other, whilst the excitement of the beetroot-nose

d hysterical shrieks of the w

t six of the clock yet. Why, troth, we'll be miles away past Craven's Hollow and

ries that to be robbed by highwaymen was better than to have t

id, the driver of the "Red Reindeer" was whisked from his seat and stowed struggling away in the custody of two chuckling Oxonians, wh

e lash, leaving the mangel-digger-richer by many a coin of the realm-to pass the time of night with a certain bearded traveller who swore, with mig

as surely those four sleek but sweat

he women in hysterics, and the men swearing as a sudden jolt would fling them one

r, things wore

gh they sat to see the finish of the punch-bowl at a College wine, rather tha

but sat behind Michael, urging him to quicken his steeds' pace a

el needed

and was bred for a sportsman; mor

were hoarse, the coachman, pinioned firmly by Nat and Horace Goulden, might entreat

s overhead rose his strong, young voice, whooping on the st

hat looked to the w

, perched behind, set he

d shown keen eyes the sight of a group of h

w, and our merry gentlemen of the ro

ch was half an hou

Hola!

ads did not fling themselves from

head of the

d up from the arm-chest below, but it wa

e straight shooters and might let

feed Reading can provide, and no mo

long whip cracked, and the great coach swung round a corner at s

re ready enough to play it out. One does not see a rich

horses w

ach had a

Hollow

d going, and a rickety old bridge

o steady down meant capture, and o

d even the youngsters grouped round the box-seat forgot

v

ross the wooden bridge, went sturdily up the hill, whilst th

was taken up with growing fervour as the passengers, looking b

what a yell of triu

plit and broken as the pursuers set horse-hoof on it, thus

he end of the adventure; but the greys were already half-wa

e there is considerable honour amongst thieves; so the Oxford coach proceeded at a more respectable r

rington, much patted on the back, urged to write himself down her

ave to shake hands and congratulate the fi

er, laughed, and passed o

rington was being toasted that night in the

eams, and we all figure as heroes to ou