346 MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 



" Indeed ! (hiccup)," exclaimed Sir Harry. " Tell us (hiccup) 

 all about it." 



" Well," said Mr. Sponge, laying the brush lengthways before him 

 on the table, as if he was going to demonstrate upon it. " Well, 

 you see we had a devil of a run — I don't know how many miles, 

 as hard as ever we could lay legs to the ground ; one by one the 

 field all dropped astern, except the huntsman and myself. At last 

 he gave in, or rather his horse did, and I was left alone in my 

 glory. Well, we went over the downs at a pace that nothing but 

 blood could live with, and, though my horse has never been beat, 

 and is as thorough-bred as Eclipse — a horse that I have refused 

 three hundred guineas for over and over again, I really did begin 

 to think I might get to the bottom of him, when all of a sudden 

 we came to a dean." 



" Ah ! Cockthropple that would be," observed Sir Harry. 



" Dare say," replied Mr. Sponge ; " Cock-any thing-you-1 ike-to- 

 call-it for me. Well, when we got there, I thought wc should 

 have some breathing time, for the fox would be sure to hug it. 

 But no ; no sooner had I got there than a countryman hallooed 

 him away on the far side. I got to the halloo as quick as I could, 

 and just as I was blowing the horn," producing Watchorn's from 

 his pocket as he spoke ; " for I must tell you," said he, " that 

 when I saw the huntsman's horse was beat, I took this from him 

 — a horn to a foot huntsman being of no more use, you know, than 

 a side-pocket to a cow, or a frilled shirt to a pig. Well, as I was 

 tootleing the horn for hard life, who should turn out of the wood 

 but eld mealy-mouth himself, as you call him, and a pretty volley 

 of abuse he let drive at me." 



" No doubt," hiccuped Sir Harry ; " but Avhat was he doing 

 there ? " 



" Oh ! I should tell yon," replied Mr. Sponge, " his hounds had 

 run a fox into it, and were on him full cry when I got there." 



"I'll be bund," cried Sir Harry, " it was all sham — that he just 

 (hiccup) and excuse for getting into that cover. The old (hiccup) 

 beggar is always at some trick, (hiccup)ing my foxes or disturbing 

 my covers or something," Sir Harry being just enough of a master 

 of hounds to be jealous of the neighbouring ones. 



" Well, however, there he was," continued Mr. Sponge ; " and 

 the first intimation 1 had of the fact was a great, gruff voice, 

 exclaiming, ' Who the Dickens are you ? ' 



" ' Who the Dickens are you ? ' replied I." 



" Bravo ! " shouted Sir Harry. 



" Capital ! " exclaimed Secdybuck. 



" Go it, you cripples ! Newgate's on fire ! " shouted Captain 

 Quod. 



"Well, what said he ? " asked Sir Harry. 



