MB. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUB. 015 



"Very beautiful !" exclaimed Mr. Sponge ; "very beautiful ! One 

 of Moore's, isn't it? Thank you, my little clear, thank you," added 

 he, chucking him under the chin, and putting on his hat to be off. 



"0, but stop, Mr. Sponge ! " exclaimed Mrs. Jogglebury, "you 

 haven't heard it all — there's more yet." 



Then turning to the child, she thus attempted to give him the cue. 



" 0, ho ! bother " 



" Now then ! time's Imp I " again shouted Jogglebury into the 

 passage. 



" 6 dear, Mr. Jogglebury, will you hold your stoopid tongue ! " 

 exclaimed she ; adding, " you certainly are the most tiresome man 

 under the sun." She then turned to the child with — 



" ho ! bother I chard " again. 



But the child was mute, and Mr. Sponge fearing, from some 

 indistinct growlings that proceeded from the carriage, that a 

 storm was brewing, endeavoured to cut short the entertainment 

 by exclaiming — 



" Wonderful two-year-old ! Pity he's not in the Darby. Dare 

 say he'll tell me the rest when I come back." 



But this only added fuel to the fire of Mrs. Jogglebury's ardour, 

 and made her more anxious that Sponge should not lose a word 

 of it. Accordingly she gave the fat dumpling another jerk up on 

 her arm, and repeated — 



" ho ! bother Ichard, the What's very high ? " asked 



Mrs. Jogglebury, coaxingly. 



" Sun's very high," 



replied the child. 



" Yes, my darling ! " exclaimed the delighted mamma. 

 Mrs. Jogglebury then proceeded with — 



" Ou go before " 



Child.—" With bottle and bag," 



Mamma. — "And I'll follow after " 



Child.— " With 'ittle Jack Nag," 



"Well now, that is wonderful !" exclaimed Mr. Sponge, hurrying 

 en his dog-skin gloves, and wishing both Obin and Ichard further. 



"Isn't it!" exclaimed Mrs. Jogglebury, in ecstasies; then 

 addressing the child, she said, "Now that is a good boy — that is 

 a fine fellow. Now couldn't he say it all over by himself, doesn't 

 he think ? " Mrs. Jogglebury looking at Mr. Sponge, as if she 

 was meditating the richest possible treat for him. 



" Oh," replied Mr. Sponge, quite tired of the detention, " he'll 

 tell me it when I return — he'll tell me it when I return," at the 

 same time giving the child another parting chuck under the chin. 

 But the child was not to be put off in that way, and instead of 



