394 ME. SPONGE'S SPOUTING TOUR. 



declined the feel. " Life's uncertain : so you give me an ' I. 0. U.' 

 and we'll be all right and square. Short reckonin's make long 

 friends, you know," added he, pointing peremptorily to the 

 paper. 



" I'd better give you a cheque at once," retorted Sponge, looking 

 the very essence of chivalry. 



"Money, if you please," replied Facey ; muttering, with a jerk 

 of Ins head, "don't Wee paper.''' 1 



The renowned Sponge, for once, was posed. He had the money, 

 but he didn't like to part with it. So he gave the 



J u 0. °IL 



Seven bounds Sfciv Slbillings. 



^'7 70 0. C/d 



ob. sponge. 



and, lighting a twelve-to-the-pound candle, sulked off to undress 

 and crawl into the little impossibility of a bed. 



Night, however, brought no relief to our distinguished friend ; 

 for, little though the bed was, it was large enough to admit lodgers, 

 and poor Sponge was nearly worried by the half-famished vermin, 

 who seemed bent on making up for the long fast they had endured 

 since the sixteen-hands-man left. "Worst of all, as day dawned, the 

 eternal " Jim Crow" recommenced his saltations, varied only with 



the 



" Come, arouse ye, my merry Swiss boy " 



of " me Oncle Gilroy." 



"Well, dash my buttons ! " groaned Sponge, as the discordant 

 noise shot through his aching head, " but this is the worst spec 

 I ever made in my life. Fed on pork, fluted deaf, bit with bugs, 

 and robbed at cards — fairly, downrightly robbed. Never was a. 

 more reg'ler plant put on a man. Thank goodness, however, I 

 haven't paid him — never will, either. Such a confounded, dis- 

 reputable scoundrel deserves to be punished — big, bad, blackguard- 

 looking fellow ! How the deuce I could ever be taken in by such 

 a fellow ! Believe he's nothing but a great poaching blackleg. 

 Hasn't the faintest outlines of a gentleman about him — not the 

 slightest particle — not the remotest glimmcrin'." 



These and similar reflections were interrupted by a great thump 



