your eddication's not bin
neglected, w'ich is probable it was. Oh! by the way. This 'assik is
the gift of the 'ouse-maid? You observe the answer, cabby, in case you
and I may differ about it 'ereafter."

"Yes," said the amused butler, "a gift from Jessie."

"Ah!--jus' so. An' she's tender-'earted an' on'y fifteen. Wots 'er
tother name? Summers, eh? Vell, it's prettier than Vinters. Tell 'er
I'll not forget 'er. Now, cabman--'ome!"

A few minutes more, and Bobby Frog was on his way to the mansion in
Whitechapel, highly delighted with his recent feast, but suffering
extremely from his broken limb.

Meanwhile, the brown pony--having passed a bold costermonger, who stood
shouting defiance at it, and waving both arms till it was close on him,
when he stepped quickly out of its way--eluded a dray-man, and entered
on a fine sweep of street, where there seemed to be no obstruction worth
mentioning. By that time it had left the agonised father far behind.

The day was fine; the air bracing. The utmost strength of poor little
Diana, and she applied it well, made no impression whatever on the
pony's tough mouth. Influences of every kind were favourable. On the
illogical principle, probably, that being "in for a penny" justified
being "in for a pound," the pony laid himself out for a glorious run.
He warmed to his work, caused the dust to fly, and the clothes-basket to
advance with irregular bounds and swayings as he scampered along,
driving many little dogs wild with delight, and two or three cats mad
with fear. Gradually he drew towards the more populous streets, and
here, of course, the efforts on the part of the public to arrest him
became more frequent, also more decided, though not more successful. At
last an inanimate object effected what man and boy had failed to
accomplish.

In a wild effort to elude a demonstrative cabman near the corner of one
of the main thoroughfares, the brown pony brought the wheels of the
vehicle into collision with a lamp-post. That lamp-post went down
before the shock like a tall head of grain before the sickle. The front
wheels doubled up into a sudden embrace, broke loose, and went across
the road, one into a greengrocer's shop, the other into a chemist's
window. Thus diversely end many careers that begin on a footing of
equality! The hind-wheels went careering along the road like a new
species of bicycle, until brought up by a donkey-cart, while the basket
chariot roll