ME. SPONGE'S SPOETING- TOUE. 387 



Bouncey ? " asked she, sidling her elegant figure between our 

 friends in the bay. 



" "We were just saying how nice it would be to have two or 

 three pretty girls, and a sillabub, under those cedars," replied 

 Captain Bouncey. 



" Oh, charming ! " exclaimed Miss Glitters, her dark eyes 

 sparkling as she spoke. " Harriet ! " exclaimed she, addressing 

 herself to a young lady, who called herself Howard, but whose 

 real name was Brown — Jane Brown. — " Harriet ! " exclaimed 

 she, " Captain Bouncey is going to give a fete champetre under 

 those lovely cedars." 



" Oh, how nice ! " exclaimed Harriet, clapping her hands in 

 ecstasies — theatrical ecstasies at least. 



" It must be Sir Harry," replied the billiard-table man, not 

 fancying being " let in " for anything. 



" Oh ! Sir Harry will let us have anything we like, I'm sure," 

 rejoined Miss Glitters. 



" "What is it (hiccup) ? " asked Sir Harry, who, hearing his 

 name, now joined the party. 



" Oh, we want you to give us a dance under those charming 

 cedars," replied the lady, looking lovingly at him. 



"Cedars!" hiccuped Sir Harry, "where do you see any cedars?" 



" "Why there," replied Miss Glitters, nodding towards a clump 

 of evergreens. 



" Those are (hiccup) hollies," replied Sir Harry. 



" Well, under the hollies," rejoined Miss Glitters ; adding, " it 

 was Captain Bouncey who said they were cedars." 



" Ah, I meant those beyond," observed the captain, nodding in 

 another direction. 



" Those are (hiccup) Scotch firs," rejoined Sir Harry. 



" "Well, never mind what they are," resumed the lady ; " let us 

 have a dance under them." 



" Certainly," replied Sir Harry, who was always ready for any- 

 thing. 



" We shall have plenty of partners," observed Miss Howard, 

 recollecting how many men there were in the house. 



" And another coming," observed Captain Cutitfat, still fretting 

 at the idea. 



" Indeed ! " exclaimed Miss Howard, raising her hands and eye- 

 brows in delight ; "and who is he ?" asked she, with unfeigned glee. 



" Oh such a (hiccup) swell," replied Sir Harry ; " reg'lar 

 Leicestershire man. A (hiccup) Quornite in fact." 



" AVe'll not have the dance till he comes, then," observed Miss 

 Glitters. 



" No more we will," said Miss Howard, withdrawing from the 

 group. 



c c 2 



