To the accompaniment of the "stranger's" breathless eloquence, the
Pickwickians' first journey from London passed with no untoward
adventure. Although the "Commodore" coach stopped occasionally to
change horses and incidentally to refresh the passengers, no mention
of an inn by name or any other designation is made, however, until
The Bull Inn in the High Street, Rochester, is reached.

"Do you remain here, sir? "enquired Nathaniel Winkle of
the "stranger."

"Here--not I--but you'd better--good house--nice beds--Wright's next
house, dear--very dear--half a crown in the bill if you look at the
waiter--charge you more if you dine at a friend's than they would if
you dined in the coffee room--rum fellows--very."

After consultation with his friends Mr. Pickwick invited the
"stranger" to dine with them, which he accepted with alacrity.

"Great pleasure--not presume to dictate, but boiled fowl and
mushrooms--capital thing! What time?"

The hour being arranged they parted for the time being.

Dickens knew his Rochester well, even in the days when he was
writing Pickwick--a knowledge gained doubtless when a lad at Chatham,
and Jingle's reference to "Wright's next house" is evidence of this,
for there was such an hotel at the time, the owner's name of which
was Wright. It was a few doors away, but was actually the next
public-house, which, of course, was what was meant.