STARTING ON THE JOURNEY.
Early one morning the conveyance drew up in front of the hotel, and the three travellers entered and took their seats. The carriage was a very comfortable one, with seats for four persons inside, a dickey or servant's seat behind, and a box under the coachman where baggage could be stowed. There were four horses, harnessed in European style, with a coachman dressed in white, and wearing a hat that reminded the boys of Japan and China. There were three footmen or grooms, who ran along-side the carriage to whip the horses, and make themselves generally useful; and when everything was going well they rode on a standing place intended for them on the rear of the vehicle. Frank observed, as the journey continued, that these fellows were the most accomplished whip-crackers in the world; and Fred remarked that the best ring-master in an American circus would hide his head in shame, if he should listen to them for a few minutes. He understood the trick of the business when told that the footmen practise whip-snapping from boyhood, and at one station where they changed horses there was a man engaged in teaching a group of boys the principles of the art. He had a practical way of instructing them, as he followed each failure with a crack of the whip on the boy's shoulders.
BY THE ROADSIDE.
There was some trouble at starting, as the horses were fresh and inclined to be "balky," and one of them indulged in a private kicking-match that did not promise well for rapid progress on the journey. However, the performance did not last long; and when they were under way they rattled along in fine style.
LODGINGS OF THE STABLE-MEN.