Why,' replied Sam very slowly, 'I rather think one old gen'l'm'n was

missin'; I know his hat was found, but I ain't quite certain whether his

head was in it or not. But what I look at is the hex-traordinary and

wonderful coincidence, that arter what that gen'l'm'n said, my father's

coach should be upset in that wery place, and on that wery day!'

it is, no doubt, a very extraordinary circumstance indeed,' said Mr

Pickwick. 'But brush my hat, Sam, for I hear Mr Winkle calling me to

breakfast.'

With these words Mr Pickwick descended to the parlour, where he

found breakfast laid, and the family already assembled. The meal was

hastily despatched; each of the gentlemen's hats was decorated with

an enormous blue favour, made up by the fair hands of Mrs. Pott

herself; and as Mr Winkle had undertaken to escort that lady to a

house-top, in the immediate vicinity of the hustings, Mr Pickwick and

Mr Pott repaired alone to the Town Arms, from the back window of

which, one of Mr Slumkey's committee was addressing six small boys

and one girl, whom he dignified, at every second sentence, with the

imposing title of 'Men of Eatanswill,' whereat the six small boys

aforesaid cheered prodigiously.

The stable-yard exhibited unequivocal symptoms of the glory and

strength of the Eatanswill Blues. There was a regular army of blue

flags, some with one handle, and some with two, exhibiting

appropriate devices, in golden characters four feet high, and stout in

proportion. There was a grand band of trumpets, bassoons, and

drums, marshalled four abreast, and earning their money, if ever men

did, especially the drum-beaters, who were very muscular. There were

bodies of constables with blue staves, twenty committee-men with

blue scarfs, and a mob of voters with blue cockades. There were

electors on horseback and electors afoot. There was an open carriage-

and-four, for the Honourable Samuel Slumkey; and there were four

carriage-and- pair, for his friends and supporters; and the flags were

rustling, and the band was playing, and the constables were swearing,

and the twenty committee-men were squabbling, and the mob were

shouting, and the horses were backing, and the post-boys perspiring;

and everybody, and everything, then and there assembled, was for the

special use, behoof, honour, and renown, of the Honourable Samuel

Slumkey, of Slumkey Hall, one of the candidates for the

representation of the borough of Eatanswill, in the Commons House of

Parliament of the United Kingdom. Loud and long were the cheers,

and mighty was the rustling of one of the blue flags, with 'Liberty of

the Press' inscribed thereon, when the sandy head of Mr Pott was

discerned in one of the windows, by the mob beneath; and

tremendous was the enthusiasm when the Honourable Samuel

Slumkey himself, in top-boots, and a blue neckerchief, advanced and

seized the hand of the said Pott, and melodramatically testified by

The Pickwick Papers