Afewsmallhouses，scatteredoneithersideoftheroad，betokentheentrancetosometownorvillage。Thelivelynotesoftheguard’skey-buglevibrateintheclearcoldair，andwakeuptheoldgentlemaninside，who，carefullylettingdownthewindow-sashhalf-way，andstandingsentryover，theair，takesashortpeepout，andthencarefullypullingitupagain，informstheotherinsidethatthey’regoingtochangedirectly。onwhichtheotherinsidewakeshimselfup，anddeterminestopostponehisnextnapuntilafterthestoppage。Againthebuglesoundslustilyforth，androusesthecottager’swifeandchildren，whopeepoutatthehouse-door，andwatchthecoachtillitturnsthecorner，whentheyoncemorecrouchroundtheblazingfire，andthrowonanotherlogofwoodagainstfathercomeshome。whilefatherhimself，afullmileoff，hasjustexchangedafriendlynodwiththecoachman，andturnedroundtotakeagoodlongstareatthevehicleasitwhirlsaway。
Andnowthebugleplaysalivelyairasthecoachrattlesthroughtheill-pavedstreetsofacountry-town。andthecoachman，undoingthebucklewhichkeepshisribandstogether，preparestothrowthemoffthemomenthestops。Mr。Pickwickemergesfromhiscoatcollar，andlooksabouthimwithgreatcuriosity。perceivingwhich，thecoachmaninformsMr。Pickwickofthenameofthetown，andtellshimitwasmarket-dayyesterday，bothofwhichpiecesofinformationMr。Pickwickretailstohisfellow-passengers。
whereupontheyemergefromtheircoatcollarstoo，andlookaboutthemalso。Mr。Winkle，whositsattheextremeedge，withonelegdanglingintheair，isnearlyprecipitatedintothestreet，asthecoachtwistsroundthesharpcornerbythecheesemonger’sshop，andturnsintothemarket-place。
andbeforeMr。Snodgrass，whositsnexttohim，hasrecoveredfromhisalarm，theypullupattheinnyard，wherethefreshhorses，withclothson，arealreadywaiting。Thecoachmanthrowsdownthereinsandgetsdownhimself，andtheotheroutsidepassengersdropdownalso：exceptthosewhohavenogreatconfidenceintheirabilitytogetupagain：andtheyremainwheretheyare，andstamptheirfeetagainstthecoachtoowarmthem——looking，withlongingeyesandrednoses，atthebrightfireintheinnbar，andthesprigsofhollywithredberrieswhichornamentthewindow。
Buttheguardhasdeliveredatthecorn-dealer’sshopthebrownpaperpackethetookoutofthelittlepouchwhichhangsoverhisshoulderbyaleathernstrap。andhasseenthehorsescarefullyputto。andhasthrownonthepavementthesaddlewhichwasbroughtfromLondononthecoach-roof。