ch horn.

Meantime, although none of them seemed to notice it, the brake was
travelling at a furious rate, and swaying about from side to side in a
very erratic manner. It would have been the last carriage, but things
had got a bit mixed at the Blue Lion and, instead of bringing up the
rear of the procession, it was now second, just behind the small
vehicle containing Rushton and his friends.

Crass several times reminded them that the other carriage was so near
that Rushton must be able to hear every word that was said, and these
repeated admonitions at length enraged the Semi-drunk, who shouted out
that they didn't care a b--r if he could hear. Who the bloody hell was
he? To hell with him!

'Damn Rushton, and you too!' cried Bill Bates, addressing Crass.
'You're only a dirty toe-rag! That's all you are--a bloody rotter!
That's the only reason you gets put in charge of jobs--'cos you're a
good nigger-driver! You're a bloody sight worse than Rushton or Misery
either! Who was it started the one-man, one-room dodge, eh? Why, you,
yer bleeder!'

'Knock 'im orf 'is bleedin' perch,' suggested Bundy.

Everybody seemed to think this was a very good idea, but when the
Semi-drunk attempted to rise for the purpose of carrying it out, he was
thrown down by a sudden lurch of the carriage on the top of the
prostrate figure of the bugle man and by the time the others had
assisted him back to his seat they had forgotten all about their plan
of getting rid of Crass.

Meantime the speed of the vehicle had increased to a fearful rate.

Rushton and the other occupants of the little wagonette in front had
been for some time shouting to them to moderate the pace of their
horses, but as the driver of Crass's brake was too drunk to understand
what they said he took no notice, and they had no alternative but to
increase their own speed to avoid being run down. The drunken driver
now began to imagine that they were trying to race him, and became
fired with the determination to pass them. It was a very narrow road,
but there was just about room to do it, and he had sufficient
confidence in his own skill with the ribbons to believe that he could
get past in safety.

The terrified gesticulations and the shouts of Rushton's party only
served to infuriate him, because he imagined that they were jeering at
him for not being able to overtake them. He stood up on the footboard
and lashed the horses till they almost flew over the grou