Company he had for the Coach?  The Fellow answered, Mrs. Betty Arable, the great Fortune, and the Widow her Mother; a recruiting Officer (who took a Place because they were to go;) young Squire Quickset her Cousin (that her Mother wished her to be married to;) Ephraim the Quaker [1] her Guardian; and a Gentleman that had studied himself dumb from Sir ROGER DE COVERLEY’S.  I observed by what he said of my self, that according to his Office he dealt much in Intelligence; and doubted not but there was some Foundation for his Reports of the rest of the Company, as well as for the whimsical Account he gave of me.  The next Morning at Day-break we were all called; and I, who know my own natural Shyness, and endeavour to be as little liable to be disputed with as possible, dressed immediately, that I might make no one wait.  The first Preparation for our Setting-out was, that the Captain’s Half-Pike was placed near the Coach-man, and a Drum behind the Coach.  In the mean Time the Drummer, the Captain’s Equipage, was very loud, that none of the Captain’s things should be placed so as to be spoiled; upon which his Cloake-bag was fixed in the Seat of the Coach:  And the Captain himself, according to a frequent, tho’ invidious Behaviour of Military Men, ordered his Man to look sharp, that none but one of the Ladies should have the Place he had taken fronting to the Coach-box.

We were in some little Time fixed in our Seats, and sat with that Dislike which People not too good-natured usually conceive of each other at first Sight.  The Coach jumbled us insensibly into some sort of Familiarity:  and we had not moved above two Miles, when the Widow asked the Captain what Success he had in his Recruiting?  The Officer, with a Frankness he believed very graceful, told her,

’That indeed he had but very little Luck, and had suffered much by Desertion, therefore should be glad to end his Warfare in the Service of her or her fair Daughter.  In a Word, continued he, I am a Soldier, and to be plain is my Character:  You see me, Madam, young, sound, and impudent; take me your self, Widow, or give me to her, I will be wholly at your Disposal.  I am a Soldier of Fortune, ha!’

This was followed by a vain Laugh of his own, and a deep Silence of all the rest of the Company.  I had nothing left for it but to fall fast asleep, which I did with all Speed.

’Come, said he, resolve upon it, we will make a Wedding at the next Town:  We will wake this pleasant Companion who is fallen asleep, to be [the] Brideman, and’ (giving the Quaker a Clap on the Knee) he concluded, ’This sly Saint, who, I’ll warrant, understands what’s what as well as you or I, Widow, shall give the Bride as Father.’

The Quaker, who happened to be a Man of Smartness, answered,