These  individuals  caused  County  Court  summonses
to  be  served  on  Mr.  Dickens,  for  compensation  and
disappointment,  on  the  ground  that  they  had  seen
him  on  the  sands  at  Blackpool  "  kicking  his  hat  about
as  if  he  had  been  a  boy."  The  only  result  of  their
action  was  that  they  had  to  apologize  for  their  want
of  courtesy.
I  was  greatly  relieved  when  I  had  got  rid  of  this
Preston  business,  and  was  now  all  anxiety  to  get  to
Liverpool  to  join  the  Chief,  as  arranged,  at  the  Adelphi
Hotel,  which  we  looked  upon  as  our  headquarters  in
the  North  of  England.
As  our  movements  were  so  well  known  here,  great
surprise  was  expressed  at  my  sudden  appearance  at  the
hotel  at  about  midnight,  and  some  eagerness  also,  a
report  having  reached  Liverpool  that  Mr.  Dickens  had
broken  down  in  Preston,  and  had  suddenly  left  for  London


412  CHARLES   DICKENS,

Nothing  had  been  seen  of  him  at  the  Adelphi  Hotel,
and  my  embarrassment  was  great  in  consequence,  to
know  what  had  become  of  him  and  of  Mr.  Beard.
As  it  was  impossible  to  get  any  information  at  that
late  hour  of  the  night,  I  could  only  wait  until  the
following  morning,  comforted  by  the  thought  that,
wherever  he  was,  he  had  the  advantage  of  Mr.  Beard's
care  and  attention.  I  went  to  bed  thoroughly  worn
out  with  fatigue  and  anxiety,  knowing  that  I  should
have  to  go  through  at  Warrington,  on  the  following  day,
all  that  I  had  just  undergone  at  Preston.
