"Looks like it, if they're having 'em fresh painted," said Mr Buddy, who now touched up his very greasy grey hair, making it stick up in points, in unconscious imitation of that of a clown. "Here, you'd better look sharp, old man," said Joseph, "they're all ready and waiting, and time's getting on." "Which we ain't, Joey, or we should be doing better than we are, eh?" "Ah, we should," said Joseph, making a powder-box squeak as he unscrewed the top; and then taking out the puff, he placed a tea-cloth over his shoulders, and gave his hair a few dabs. "Now then, old man. Have the tea-cloth on?" "Ah, you may as well," was the reply; and the cloth having been adjusted by Joseph, the little man stood blinking solemnly while his dingy hair was duly powdered and turned white. "Why, you might stand a bit o' wilet powder cump'ny nights, Joey," said the flyman, solemnly removing a little white meal from amongst the ruddy pimples of his face with the corner of the cloth in regular use for wiping the tea and breakfast service. "How am I to stand best vi'let powder out o' what they allow?" replied Joseph. "Flour's just as good, and don't cost me nothing. Now then, look sharp." As he spoke Joseph pulled open a drawer, from which he drew a drab greatcoat, inside which the little man placed himself, for it was manifestly so much too large that he could hardly be said to have put it on. Then a blue hat-box was pushed off the top of one of the cupboards, out of which a rather ancient hat was extricated, and mounted by the flyman, whose head seemed to have become suddenly wonderfully small; for it was an imposing structure of beaver with very curly brims, apparently kept from coming uncurled by a rigging or series of stays of tarnished silver cord, which ran from the lining up to a Panjandrum-like round button at the top, also of tarnished silver; while a formidable-looking and very spiky black cockade rose something like a patent ventilator from one side. "That's about the ticket, ain't it, Joey?" said the little man, shaking his head so as to get the big hat in a good state of balance, and buttoning himself to the chin. "Yes, that will do, old man." "The ladies want to know if the carriage has come, Joseph," said Markes, suddenly making her appearance. "Which you may take your solemn oath it ain't," said Mr Buddy, "for not one inch will that there horse stir till I wakes him up." "Then do for goodness' sake, man, look sharp and fetch it," exclaimed Markes. "I'm sure it's past the time!"