MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 189 



The fact was, Leather had an invitation to sup with the servauts 

 at Jawleyford Court that night, and he was not going to be done 

 out of his engagement, especially as Mr. Sponge only allowed him 

 two shillings a day for expenses wherever he was. 



" Well, you're a cool hand, anyhow," observed Mr. Sponge, quite 

 taken by surprise. 



" Cool 'and, or not cool 'and," replied Leather, munching away, 

 " I'll do my duty to my master. I'm not one o' your coatlcss, 

 characterless scamps wot 'ang about livery-stables ready to do 

 anything they're bid. No, Sir, no," he continued, pronging 

 another onion ; " / have some regard for the hinterest o' my 

 master. I'll do my duty in the station o' life in which I'm placed, 

 and won't be 'fraid to face no man." So saying Mr. Leather cut 

 himself a grand circumference of beef. 



Mr. Sponge was taken aback, for he had never seen a conscien 

 tious livery-stable helper before, and did not believe in the exist- 

 ence of such articles. However, here was Mr. Leather assuming- 

 a virtue, whether he had it or non ; and Mr. Sponge being in the 

 man's power, of course durst not quarrel with him. It Avas clear 

 that Leather would not go ; and the question was, what should 

 Mr. Sponge do? "Why shouldn't I go myself?" he though;-, 

 shutting his eyes, as if to keep his faculties free from outward 

 distraction. He ran the thing quickly over in his mind, " What 

 Leather can do, I can do," he said, remembering that a groom 

 never demeaned himself by working where there was an ostler. 

 " These things I have on will do quite well for to-morrow, at 

 least among such rough-and-ready dogs as the Flat Hat men, 

 who seem as if they had their clothes pitched on with a fork." 



His mind was quickly made up, and calling for pen, ink, and 

 paper, he wrote a hasty note to Jawleyford, explaining why he 

 would not cast up till the morrow ; he then got the chestnut out 

 of the stable, and desiring the ostler to give the note to Leather, 

 and tell him to go home with his hack, he just rode out of the 

 yard without giving Leather the chance of saying "nay." He 

 then jogged on at a pace suitable to the accurate measurement of 

 the distance. 



The horse seemed to like having Sponge's red coat on better 

 that Leather's brown, and champed his bit, and stepped away 

 quite gaily. 



"Confound it ! " exclaimed Sponge, laying the rein on its neck, 

 and leaning forward to pat him ; " it's a pity but you were always 

 in this humour — you'd be worth a mint of money if you were.'" 

 He then resumed his seat in the saddle, and bethought him how 

 lie would show them the way on the morrow. " If he doesn't 

 beat every horse in the field, it shan't be my fault," thought he ; 

 and thereupon he gave him the slightest possible touch with 



