MB. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 43 



and groom his horses. Hercules was a fine animal. It did not 

 require a man to be a great judge of a horse to see that. Even 

 the ladies, though perhaps they would rather have had him a 

 white or a cream colour, could not but admire his nut-brown 

 muzzle, his glossy coat, his silky mane, and the elegant way in 

 which he carried his flowing tail. His step was delightful to look 

 at — so free, so accurate, and so easy. And that reminds us that 

 we may as well be getting Mr. Sponge up — a feat of no easy 

 accomplishment. Few hack hunters are without their little 

 peculiarities. Some are runaways — some kick — some bite — some 

 go tail first on the road — some go tail first at their fences — some 

 rush as if they were going to eat them, others baulk them 

 altogether — and few, very few, give satisfaction. Those that do, 

 generally retire from the public stud to the private one. But to 

 our particular quadruped, " Hercules." 



Mr. Sponge was not without his misgivings that, regardless o f 

 being on his preferment, the horse might exhibit more of his 

 peculiarity than would forward his master's interests, and, 

 independently of the disagreeableness of being kicked off at the 

 cover side, not being always compensated for by falling soft, Mr. 

 Sponge thought, as the meet was not far off, and he did not sport 

 a cover hack, it would look quite as well to ride his horse quietly 

 on as go in a fly, provided always he could accomplish the mount 

 — the mount — like the man walking with his head under his arm 

 — being the first step to everything. 



Accordingly, Mr. Leather had the horse saddled and accoutred 

 as quietly as possible — his warm clothing put over the saddle 

 immediately, and everything kept as much in the usual course as 

 possible, so that the noble animal's temper might not be ruffled by 

 unaccustomed trouble or unusual objects. Leather having seen 

 that the horse could not eject Mr. Sponge even in trousers, had 

 little fear of his dislodging him in boots and breeches ; still it was 

 desirable to avoid all unseemly contention, and maintain the high 

 character of the stud, by which means Leather felt that his own 

 character and consequence would best be maintained. Accordingly, 

 he refrained from calling in the aid of any of the stable assistants, 

 preferring for once to do a little work himself, especially when the 

 rider was up to the trick, and not " a gent " to be cajoled into 

 "trying a horse." Mr. Sponge, punctual to his time, appeared at 

 the stable, and after much patting, whistling, so — so — ing, my 

 man, and general ingratiation, the redoubtable nag was led out of 

 the stable into a well-littered straw-yard, where, though he might 

 be gored by a bull if he fell, the " eyes of England " at all events 

 would not witness the floorer. Horses, however, have wonderful 

 memories and discrimination. Though so differently attired to 

 what he was on the occasion of his trial, the horse seemed to 



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