MB. SPONGE'S SPOBTING TOUB. 379 



other remained ; but as they had often said so before, and still gave 

 no symptoms of going, their assertion produced little effect upon 

 anybody. Sir Harry would not have cared if all his guests had 

 gone together. Peace and order being at length restored, the 

 conversation again turned upon Mr. Sponge. 



"I suppose we must have another (hiccup) hunt soon," observed 

 Sir Harry. 



" In course," replied Bob Spangles ; " it's no use keeping the 

 hungry brutes unless you work them." 



"You'll have a bagman, I presume," observed Captain Seedey- 

 buck, who did not like the trouble of travelling about the country 

 to draw for a fox. 



" Oh, yes," replied Sir Harry ; " Watchorn will manage all that. 

 He's always (hiccup) in that line. We'd better have a hunt soon, 

 and then Mr. (hiccup) Bugles, you can see it." Sir Harry address- 

 ing himself to a gentleman he was as anxious to get rid of as 

 Mr. Jogglebury Crowdey was to get rid of Mr. Sponge. 



" No ; Mr. Bugles won't go out any more," replied Lady 

 Scattercash, peremptorily. " He was nearly killed last time ; " her 

 ladyship casting an angry glance at her husband, and a very loving 

 one on the object of her solicitude. 



" Oh, nought's never in danger ! " observed Bob Spangles. 

 " Then you can go, Bob," snapped his sister. 

 u I intend," replied Bob. 



"Then (hiccup), gentlemen, I think I'll just write this Mr. 

 (hiccup) What's-his-name to (hiccup) over here," observed Sir 

 Harry, " and then he'll be ready for the (hiccup) hunt whenever 

 we choose to (hiccup) one." 



The proposition fell still-born among the party. 

 " Don't you think we can do without him," at last suggested 

 Captain Seedeybuck. 



"/think so," observed the elder Spangles, without looking up 

 from his plate. 



" Who is it ? " asked Lady Scattercash. 



" The man that was here the other morning — the man in the 

 queer chestnut-coloured boots," replied Mr. Orlando Bugles. 



" Oh, I think he's rather good-looking ; I vote we have him," 

 replied her ladyship. 



That was rather a damper for Sir Harry ; but upon reflection, 

 he thought he could not be worse off with Mr. Sponge and Mr. 

 Bugles than he was with Mr. Bugles alone ; so, having finished a 

 poor appetiteless breakfast, he repaired to what he called his 

 "study," and with a feeble, shaky hand, scrawled an invitation to 

 Mr. Sponge to come over to Nonsuch House, and take his chance 

 of a run with his hounds. He then sealed and posted the letter 

 without further to-do. 



