MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 



59 



DECORATED WITH A SKY-BLUE VIS1TK. 



CHAPTER XII. 



THE DEAL, AND THE DISASTER. 



IF people are inclined 

 to deal, bargains can 

 very soon be struck 

 at idle watering- 

 places, where any- 

 thing in the shape 

 cf occupation is a 

 godsend, and bar- 

 gainers know where 

 to find each other in 

 a minute. Every- 

 body knows where 

 everybody is. 



" Have you seen 

 Jack Sprat'? " 



"Oh, yes; he's just 

 gone into Muddle's 

 Bazaar with Miss Flouncey, looking uncommon sweet." Or — 

 " Can you tell me where I shall find Mr. Slowman ? " 

 Answer. — "You'll find him at his lodgings, No. 15, Belvidere 

 Terrace, till a quarter before seven. He's gone home to dress, to 

 dine with Major and Mrs. Holdsworthy, at Grunton Villa, for I 

 heard him order Jenkins's fly at that time." 



Caingey Thornton knew exactly when he would find Mr. Waffles 

 at Miss Lollypop's, the confectioner, eating ices and making love 

 to that very interesting, much-courted young lady. True to his 

 time, there was Waffles, eating and eyeing the cherry-coloured 

 ribbons, floating in graceful curls along with her raven-coloured 

 ringlets, down Miss Lollypop's nice fresh plump cheeks. 



After expatiating on the great merits of the horse, and the 

 certainty of getting all the money back by steeple-chasing him in 

 the spring, and stating his conviction that Mr. Sponge would not 

 take any part of the purchase-money in pictures or jewellery, or 

 anything of that sort, Mr. Waffles gave his consent to deal, on the 

 terms the following conversation shows. 



" My friend will give you your price, if you wouldn't mind 

 taking his cheque and keeping it for a few r months till he's into 

 funds," observed Mr. Thornton, who now sought Mr. Sponge out 

 at the billiard-room. 



