Neverbend's enemies were wont to declare that a messenger, a cab, and a big packet always rushed up at the moment of his starting on any of his official trips.

Then he had his ticket to get and his _Times_ to buy, and he really had not leisure to do more than nod at Alaric till he had folded his rug around him, tried that the cushion was soft enough, and completed his arrangements for the journey.
'Well, Mr.Tudor,' at last he said, as soon as the train was in motion, 'and how are you this morning--ready for work, I hope ?' 'Well, not exactly at this moment,' said Alaric.

'One has to get up so early for these morning trains.' 'Early, Mr.Tudor! my idea is that no hour should be considered either early or late when the Crown requires our services.' 'Just at present the Crown requires nothing else of us, I suppose, but that we should go along at the rate of forty miles an hour.' 'There is nothing like saving time,' said Neverbend.

'I know you have, as yet, had no experience in these sort of cases, so I have brought you the papers which refer to a somewhat similar matter that occurred in the Forest of Dean.

I was sent down there, and that is the report which I then wrote.