MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 65 



as he was a lord's, he might praise 'im, seein', in all probability, he 

 weren't for sale. ' He is that? said the gram, patting him on the 

 neck, as though he were special fond on him. ' Is my lord out ? ' 

 asked Mr. Sponge. ' No, sir ; he's not corned down yet,' replied 

 the man, ' nor do I know when he will come. He's been down at 

 Bath for some time, 'sociatin' with the aldermen o' Bristol, and 

 has thrown up a vast o' bad flesh — two stun' sin' last season — and 

 he's afeared this oss won't be able to carry him, and so he writ to 

 me to take 'im out to-day to show 'im. ' He'd carry me, I think,' 

 said Mr. Sponge, making hup his mind on the moment, jist as he 

 makes hup his mind to ride at a fence — not that I think it's a good 

 plan for a gent to show that he's sweet on an oss, for they're sure 

 to make him pay for it. Howsomever, that's nouther here nor 

 there. Well, jist as Mr. Sponge said this, Sir Richard driv' hup. 

 and harm' got his oss, away we trotted to the goss jist below, and 

 the next thing I see'd was Mr. Sponge leadin' the 'ole field on 

 this werry nag. Well, I heard no more till I got to Melton, for I 

 didn't go to my haunt's at Mount Sorrel that night, and I saw 

 little of the run, for my oss was rather puffy, livin' principally on 

 chaff, bran mashes, Swedes, and soft food ; and when I got to 

 Melton, I heard 'ow Mr. Sponge had bought this oss," Mr. Buckram 

 nodding his head at the horse as he spoke, " and 'ow that he'd 

 given the matter o' two 'under' d — or I'm not sure it weren't two 

 'under'd-and-fifty guineas for 'im, and — " 



" Well," interrupted Mr. Waffles, tired of his verbosity, " and 

 what did they say about the horse ? " 



"Why," continued Mr. Buckram, thoughtfully, propping his 

 ■chin up with his stick, and drawing all the half-crowns up to the 

 top of his pocket again, " the fust 'spicious thing I heard was Sir 

 Digby Snaffle's grum, Sam, sayin' to Captain Screwley's bat-man 

 grum, jist afore the George Inn door, 



" ' Well, Jack, Tommy's sold the brown oss ! ' 



" ' N — o — o — r ! ' exclaimed Jack, starin' 'is eyes out, as if it 

 were unpossible. 



" ' He 'as, though, ' said Sam. 



" ' Well, then, I 'ope the gemman's fond o' walkin',' exclaimed 

 Jack, bustin' out a laughin' and runnin' on. 



" This rayther set me a thinkin'," continued Mr. Buckram, 

 dropping a second half-crown, which jinked against the nest-eirg 

 one left at the bottom, " and fearin' that Mr. Sponge had fallen 

 'mong the Philistines — which I was werry concerned about, for 

 he's a real nice gent, but thoughtless, as many young gents are 

 who 'ave plenty of tin — I made it my business to inquire 'bout 

 this oss ; and if he is the oss that I saw in Leicestersheer, and I 

 'ave little doubt about it (dropping two consecutive half-crowns as 

 he spoke), though I've not seen him out, I — " 



F 



