In every village carts could be seen standing in front of the public houses, in which the occupants of the carts were sometimes drinking. Sometimes they were stretching their limbs by dancing on the village green, men and girls together, shouting and laughing.
It was a decidedly noisy and good-natured crowd, and, above all, a remarkably thirsty crowd. Some of the carts carried kegs of ale, and the occupants of those carts seemed continually drinking from their pewter mugs.
“Dreadful! dreadful!” muttered Professor Scotch. “I never beheld anything like this before. It seems as if every one was bent on a debauch.”
“It’s the way at the Derby, professor,” laughed Frank. “By Jove! it’s a sight worth seeing. I am glad we did not miss the Derby.”
At last they came to fields; passed between the high stone walls of some vast estate; passed hundreds of children in uniform ranged behind a hedge and cheering wildly, just as if they were not orphans who lived in the great dismal building in the background; passed from the level road to the hills and the downs, where the white dust arose in clouds and shut out the view like a fog, through which came the creaking of wheels, the cracking of whips and the occasional blast of a horn.
Then they arrived at a place where it seemed that an army had encamped. Every dust-covered hedge was lined with horses and donkeys, while others were picketed at the end of ropes that allowed them to graze.
Through this mass of horses they seemed to pass for miles before the racetrack was reached. On all sides were rows upon rows of carts, hansom cabs and omnibuses, all abandoned for the time.
And then, at last, Frank beheld the highest grandstand in the world, crowded with people, who had already obtained favorable positions to watch the races.
The track was reached. From the top of the coach Frank beheld a spectacle such as he had never before witnessed. Before him was a valley which was thronging with human beings and covered with what seemed to be unnumbered circuses. Everywhere were booths and tents, making long, irregular avenues. Everywhere were flags and canvas pictures, crowds of people moving in black blocks, swaying, pushing, shoving.
And there was no admission fee to the races, unless one sought a seat on the grandstand!