"Please, ladies," half roguishly says Israel, taking off his hat, "does
this road go to London?"

At this salutation, the two figures turned in a sort of stupid
amazement, causing an almost corresponding expression in Israel, who now
perceived that they were men, and not women. He had mistaken them, owing
to their frocks, and their wearing no pantaloons, only breeches hidden
by their frocks.

"Beg pardon, ladies, but I thought ye were something else," said Israel
again.

Once more the two figures stared at the stranger, and with added
boorishness of surprise.

"Does this road go to London, gentlemen?"

"Gentlemen--egad!" cried one of the two.

"Egad!" echoed the second.

Putting their hoes before them, the two frocked boors now took a good
long look at Israel, meantime scratching their heads under their plaited
straw hats.

"Does it, gentlemen? Does it go to London? Be kind enough to tell a poor
fellow, do."

"Yees goin' to Lunnun, are yees? Weel--all right--go along."