MB. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 287 



" Indeed ! " replied Mr. Puffin-ton. 



" Mr. Spraggon and he did it after they came in from hunting." 



" I thought as much," replied Mr. Puffing-ton, in disgust. 



Mr. Plummey then related how unsuccessful had been his 

 attempts to get rid of the now most unwelcome guest. Mr. 

 Puffington listened with attention, determined to get rid of him 

 somehow or other. Plummey was instructed to ply Sponge well 

 with hints, all of which, however, Mr. Sponge skilfully parried. 

 So, at last, Mr. Puffington scrawled a miserable looking note, 

 explaining how very ill he was, how he regretted being deprived of 

 Mr. Sponge's agreeable society, but hoping that it would suit Mr. 

 Sponge to return as soon as he was better and pay the remainder 

 of his visit — a pretty intelligible notice to quit, and one which 

 even the cool Mr. Sponge was rather at a loss how to parry. 



He did not like the aspect of affairs. In addition to having to 

 spend the evening by himself, the cook sent him a very moderate 

 dinner, smoked soup, sodden fish, scraggy cutlets, and sour pud- 

 ding. Mr. Plummey, too, seemed to have put all the company 

 bottle-ends together for him. This would not do. If Sponge 

 could have satisfied himself that his host would not be better in a 

 day or two, he would have thought seriously of leaving ; but as he 

 could not bring himself to think that he would not, and, moreover, 

 had no place to go to, had it not been for the concluding portion 

 of Mr. Puffington's note, he would have made an effort to stay. 

 That, however, put it rather out of his power, especially as it was 

 done so politely, and hinted at a renewal of the visit. Mr. Sponge 

 spent the evening in cogitating what he should do — thinking 

 what sportmen had held out the hand of good-fellowship, and 

 hinted at hoping to have the pleasure of seeing him. Fyle, 

 Fossick, Blossomnose, Capon, Dribble, Hook, and others, were all 

 run through his mind, without his thinking it prudent to attempt 

 to fix a volunteer visit upon any of them. Many people he knew 

 could pen polite excuses, who yet could not hit them off at the 

 moment, especially in that great arena of hospitality — the hunting- 

 field. He went to bed very much perplexed. 



