the surgeon of the neighbourhood, who was speedily summoned, and who,
after having applied the proper remedies, recommended me to carry my arm
in a sling for a few days, at the end of which time, he assured me, it
would cause me little inconvenience.

As it was, by great good luck, my left arm which was injured, I
submitted to this mandate with tolerable resignation, and returned to
the drawing-room to be pitied by the tongues of the old, and the bright
eyes of the young ladies, to an extent which (as at that time of day I
was somewhat addicted to the vice of shyness) was more flattering than
agreeable.

It was between two and three o'clock when Lawless and I prepared to
take our departure for the inn at which we were to sleep. Being a lovely
night Coleman volunteered to accompany us for the sake of the walk,
telling the servants not to sit up for him, as he had a latch-key in his
pocket--an article, regarding the possession of which a constant civil
war was carried on between his mother and himself, wherein by dint of
sundry well-contrived stratagems, and deeply laid schemes, he invariably
gained the victory.

"I tell you what," said Lawless, "the row and bother, ~128~~and the
whole kick-up altogether, has made me alarmingly hungry; the only decent
bit of chicken I managed to lay hands on at supper Di Clapperton ate:
precious twist that girl has, to be sure; even after all the ground
she's been over to-night, going a topping pace the whole time too,
she wasn't a bit off her feed; didn't she walk into the ham
sandwiches--that's all! I'd rather keep her for a week than a fortnight,
I can tell you; she'd eat her head off in a month, and no mistake. Here,
waiter," he continued, "have you got anything to eat in the house?"

"Yes, sir, splendid barrel of oysters down by coach last night; capital
brown stout, sir--real Guinness's!"

"That's it, my man," was the rejoinder; "trot 'em out, by all means.
Freddy, old boy," he continued, "come along in with us, and have some."

"Well, I don't mind astonishing the natives for once in a way," replied
Freddy; "but it's dreadfully debauched, eating oysters and drinking
porter at this time of day or night, whichever you are pleased to call
it; you'll ruin my morals."

"The devil fly away with your morals, and he won't be overloaded
either," was the polite rejoinder; and in we all went together. The
oysters and porter soon made their appearance, and had ample justice
done them;