s friends
followed to secure their places. Mr. Tupman and Mr. Snodgrass had seated
themselves at the back part of the coach; Mr. Winkle had got inside; and
Mr. Pickwick was preparing to follow him, when Sam Weller came up to his
master, and whispering in his ear, begged to speak to him, with an air
of the deepest mystery.

'Well, Sam,' said Mr. Pickwick, 'what's the matter now?'

'Here's rayther a rum go, sir,' replied Sam.

'What?' inquired Mr. Pickwick.

'This here, Sir,' rejoined Sam. 'I'm wery much afeerd, sir, that the
properiator o' this here coach is a playin' some imperence vith us.'

'How is that, Sam?' said Mr. Pickwick; 'aren't the names down on the
way-bill?'

'The names is not only down on the vay-bill, Sir,' replied Sam, 'but
they've painted vun on 'em up, on the door o' the coach.' As Sam spoke,
he pointed to that part of the coach door on which the proprietor's name
usually appears; and there, sure enough, in gilt letters of a goodly
size, was the magic name of PICKWICK!

'Dear me,' exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, quite staggered by the coincidence;
'what a very extraordinary thing!'

'Yes, but that ain't all,' said Sam, again directing his master's
attention to the coach door; 'not content vith writin' up "Pick-wick,"
they puts "Moses" afore it, vich I call addin' insult to injury, as the
parrot said ven they not only took him from his native land, but made
him talk the English langwidge arterwards.'

'It's odd enough, certainly, Sam,' said Mr. Pickwick; 'but if we stand
talking here, we shall lose our places.'

'Wot, ain't nothin' to be done in consequence, sir?' exclaimed Sam,
perfectly aghast at the coolness with which Mr. Pickwick prepared to
ensconce himself inside.

'Done!' said Mr. Pickwick. 'What should be done?' 'Ain't nobody to be
whopped for takin' this here liberty, sir?' said Mr. Weller, who had
expected that at least he would have been commissioned to challenge the
guard and the coachman to a pugilistic encounter on the spot.

'Certainly not,' replied Mr. Pickwick eagerly; 'not on any account. Jump
up to your seat directly.'

'I am wery much afeered,' muttered Sam to himself, as he turned away,
'that somethin' queer's come over the governor, or he'd never ha' stood
this so quiet. I hope that 'ere trial hasn't broke his spirit, but
it looks bad, wery bad.' Mr. Weller shook his head gravely; and it is
worthy of remark, as an illustration of the manner in which he took
this circumsta