The Adventures of a Three-Guinea Watch | Page 8

right," said the man; "give us hold of these things, and jump
inside my trap."
"How far is it?" he asked of the man.
"Better of three miles."
"Is it, though? I say, can't you put the things inside, and then I can ride
on the box?"
"All square," said the man; "hop up, my young bantam."
The young bantam did hop up, and they were soon on their way to the
school.
I need hardly say it was not long before Charlie and the driver were on
confidential terms. The boy duly produced first me and then his six-
bladed knife to the admiring eyes of his new companion, insisting on
his taking both into his hands, and demanding his candid opinion on
their merits.

Presently a wholly new idea seemed to strike him.
"I say, driver, what's your name?"
"Jim, if you want to know," replied that public servant.
"Well, Jim, I wish you'd just get inside and look after the luggage, and
let me drive; will you?"
The man opened his eyes and his mouth at the proposition, and then
bursting out laughing.
"Hark at him!" he exclaimed; "did you ever hear the like? Me get inside
and let a young shaver like him drive me--ho! ho!"
"Come along, Jim; I know the way; and it would be a lark. Come on,
dear Jim."
And the boy got quite affectionate in his eagerness.
"Dear Jim," who was one of those easy-going men who don't take much
persuading when they're approached the right way, at length consented
to hand over the reins to Charlie; and after waiting some time to see
for himself that the boy could really manage, after a fashion, to drive
the horse, he further gratified him by descending from the box, and
leaving him in sole possession of the coveted position.
"Get inside, Jim," cried the boy, with beaming face.
Jim, his face all one grin, obeyed, saying, as he did so,--
"Well, if you ain't a queer one! That's the house there, on the top of that
hill. Mind how you go, now."
"All right; you get inside. And I say, Jim," added the boy, leaning down
from his perch, "make yourself comfortable, you know, and don't
bother about me. I want to drive all by myself, and you aren't to help
me a bit, mind."

So the driver got inside, and seating himself among the luggage,
proceeded to make himself "comfortable," as instructed.
Meanwhile my master, as proud as an emperor, lashed his steed into a
canter, and rattled off in the direction of the school.
"That'll astonish some of them caps and gowns, I reckon," I heard
cabby say to himself. "You see, if he don't drive us right up to the front
door, as comfortable as if we was the sheriff of the county."
You may imagine what was the astonishment of the grave and reverend
authorities at Randlebury School when they perceived, coming up the
carriage drive, a cab with a boy of thirteen perched on the box, tugging
at the reins, hallooing to the horse, and making his whip crack like so
many fireworks; while inside, comfortably lounging amid a pile of
luggage, reclined cabby at his ease, grinning from ear to ear.
The young Jehu, perfectly innocent of the sensation he was making,
pursued his triumphant career at full speed up to the very hall door,
pulling up his steed with such a sudden jerk as almost to bring him into
a sitting position, while the piled-up luggage inside fell all about the
cab with the shock, to the imminent risk of cabby's life.
"Well, if that ain't one way of doing it, I don't know what is!" exclaimed
that astonished charioteer, emerging from his precarious quarters.
"Down you jump, young un."
Charlie descended, all jubilant with triumph, and pulling out me,
exclaimed, "We did that three miles in half an hour--not bad, was it?"
In his excitement he had not observed that the door of the house had
opened, and that these words, instead of being addressed to the cabby,
had been spoken to a stately female who stood in the portal before him.
Now however he caught sight of her, and not knowing exactly what was
the proper thing to do under the circumstances, stared at her.
"What do you say, young man?" inquired she, in a solemn voice.

"Oh," said the boy, "I didn't know it was you. I was telling Jim we had
come from the station in half an hour. You know we started at 6.2 by
my watch, and it's just 6.33 now. Would you like to see for yourself,
marm?" added he, preparing to unfasten the chain.
"I know what the time is, young man," replied she sternly; "and pray,
who is Jim?"