The Host, a man of a capacious stomach and a rosy cheek--in short, a host
whom your heart warms to see, stepped forth immediately, held the stirrup
for the young Squire, (for the Corporal's movements were too stately to
be rapid,) and ushered him with a bow, a smile, and a flourish of his
napkin, into one of those little quaint rooms, with cupboards bright with
high glasses and old china, that it pleases us still to find extant in
the old-fashioned inns, in our remoter roads and less Londonized
districts.

Mine host was an honest fellow, and not above his profession; he stirred
the fire, dusted the table, brought the bill of fare, and a newspaper
seven days old, and then bustled away to order the dinner and chat with
the Corporal. That accomplished hero had already thrown the stables into
commotion, and frightening the two ostlers from their attendance on the
steeds of more peaceable men, had set them both at leading his own horse
and his master's to and fro' the yard, to be cooled into comfort and
appetite.

He was now busy in the kitchen, where he had seized the reins of
government, sent the scullion to see if the hens had laid any fresh eggs,
and drawn upon himself the objurgations of a very thin cook with a
squint.

"Tell you, ma'am, you are wrong--quite wrong--have seen the world--old
soldier--and know how to fry eggs better than any she in the three
kingdoms--hold jaw--mind your own business--where's the frying-pan?--
baugh!"

So completely did the Corporal feel himself in his element, while he was