The far end of it hid me from the view of the coaches, and from it a pretty direct path led to a gap in the hedge, and a stile.
Reaching and crossing this, I found myself in a by-lane leading back into the high road.

There were no houses with windows to overlook me.

I sauntered around at leisure, took the line of coaches in the rear, and crawled back to my hiding-place--it astonished me with what ease.

Every driver sat on his box, and every driver slumbered.
The mystery of this was resolved when--it seemed an hour later; but actually, I dare say, Bill's obsequies took but the normal twenty minutes or so--Mr.Jope shepherded his flock back through the gates and, red-eyed, addressed them while he distributed largess along the line of jarveys.
"I thank ye, friends," said he in a muffled voice which at first I attributed to emotion.

"The fare home is paid to the foot of George Street--I arranged that with the jobmaster, and this here little gift is private, between me and the drivers, to drink Bill's health.