MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 321 



" You harn'l got no ticket," said Coppers, coming up, "and 

 ain't a-goin' to not never no meetin' o' trustees, are you ? " asked 

 lie, seeing the importance of the person with whom he had to 

 deal ; — a trustee of that and other roads, and one who always 

 availed himself of his privilege of going to the meetings toll-free. 



"No," replied Jog, pompously handing Sponge the whip and reins. 



He then rose deliberately from his seat, and slowly unbuttoned 

 each particular button of the brown great-coat he had over the 

 tight black hunting one. He then unbuttoned the black, and 

 next the right-hand pocket of the white moleskins, in which he 

 carried his money. He then deliberately fished up his green-and- 

 gold purse, a souvenir of Miss Smiler (the plaintiff in the breach- 

 of-promise action, Smiler v. Jogglebury), and holding it with both 

 hands before his eyes, to see which end contained the silver, he 

 slowly drew the slide, and took out a shilling, though there were 

 plenty of sixpences in. 



This gave the man an errand into the toll-house to get one, and, 

 by way of marking his attention, when he returned he said, in the 

 negative way that country people put a question — 



" You'll not need a ticket, will you ? " 



" Ticket (puff), ticket (wheeze) ? " repeated Jog, thoughtfully. 

 " Yes, I'll take a ticket," said he. 



" Oh ! hang it no," replied Sponge ; " let's get on ! " stamping 

 against the bottom of the phaeton to set the horse a-going. 



" Costs nothin'," observed Jog, dryly, drawing the reins, as the 

 man again returned to the gate-house. 



A considerable delay then took place ; first, Pikey had to find 

 his glasses, as he called his spectacles, to look out a one-horse- 

 chaise ticket. Then he had to look out the tickets, when he found 

 he had all sorts except a one-horse-chaise one ready — waggons, 

 hearses, mourning-coaches, saddle-horses, chaises and pair, mules, 

 asses, every sort but the one that was wanted. Well, then he had 

 to fill one up, and to do this he had, first, to find the ink-horn, 

 and then a pen that would " mark," so that, altogether, a delay 

 took place that would have been peculiarly edifying to a Kenning- 

 ton Common or Lambeth gate-keeper to witness. 



But it was not all over yet. Having got the ticket, Jog 

 examined it, minutely, to see that it was all right, then held it to 

 his nose to smell it, and ultimately drew the purse slide, and 

 deposited it amongst the sovereigns. He then restored that 

 expensive trophy to his pocket, shook his leg, to send it down, 

 then buttoned the pocket, and took the tight black coat with both 

 hands and dragged it across his chest, so as to get his stomach in. 

 He then gasped and held his breath, making himself as small as 

 possible, Avhile he coaxed the buttons into the holes ; and that 

 difficult process being at length accomplished, he stood still awhile 



Y 



