er, when she will not show her face to me; and what is far worse, at my
time of life, she won't even pay me a half-penny of rent. Now let us go
back to Aunt Mary, my dear; she always insists upon packing overnight."

CHAPTER XLVII

CADMEIAN VICTORY

Before two o'clock of the following day Major Hockin and myself were
in London, and ready to stay there for two or three days, if it should
prove needful. Before leaving Bruntsea I had written briefly to Lord
Castlewood, telling him that important matters had taken me away from
Shoxford, and as soon as I could explain them, I would come and tell him
all about it. This was done only through fear of his being annoyed at my
independence.

From London Bridge the Major took a cab direct to Clerkenwell; and again
I observed that of all his joys one of the keenest was to match his wits
against a cabman's. "A regular muff, this time," he said, as he jerked
up and down with his usual delight in displaying great knowledge of
London; "no sport to be had out of him. Why, he stared at me when I said
'Rosamond Street,' and made me stick on 'Clerkenwell.' Now here he is
taking us down Snow Hill, when he should have been crossing Smithfield.
Smithfield, cabby, Smithfield!"

"Certain, Sir, Smiffle, if you gives the order;" and he turned the
poor horse again, and took us up the hill, and among a great number of
barriers. "No thoroughfare," "No thoroughfare," on all hands stretched
across us; but the cabman threaded his way between, till he came to the
brink of a precipice. The horse seemed quite ready, like a Roman, to
leap down it, seeing nothing less desirable than his present mode of
life, till a man with a pickaxe stopped him.

"What are you at?" cried the Major, with fury equalled by nothing except
his fright. "Erema, untie my big rattan. Quick--quick--"

"Captain," said the cabman, coolly, "I must have another shilling for
this job. A hextra mile and a quarter, to your orders. You knows Lunnon
so much better. Smiffle stopped--new railway--new meat market--never
heered of that now, did you?"

"You scoundrel, drive straight to the nearest police office."

"Must jump this little ditch, then, Captain. Five pun' fine for you,
when we gets there. Hold on inside, old gentleman. Kuck, kuck, Bob, you
was a hunter once. It ain't more than fifty feet deep, my boy."

"Turn round! turn round, I tell you! turn round! If your neck is
forfeit, you rogue, mine is not. I never was so tak