MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 69 



To which Mr. Sponge shortly after rejoined as follows : — 



" Bantam Hotel, Bond Street. 

 " Dear Waffles, 



" Yours to hand — I am glad to receive a disclaimer of any 

 unworthy imputations respecting the brown horse. Such insinuations 

 are only for horse-dealers, not for men of high gentlemanly feeling . 



" / am sorry to say ive have not got out of the horse as I hoped. 

 Lord Bullfrog, who is a most cantankerous felloiv, insists upon 

 having him back, according to the terms of my letter ; I must 

 therefore trouble you to hunt him up, and let us accommodate his 

 lordship with him ayain. If you ivill say where he is, I may very 

 likely know some one ivho can assist us in getting him. You will 

 excuse this trouble, I hope, considering that it was to serve you, that 

 I moved in the matter, and insisted on returning him to his lordship, 

 at a loss ofbOl. to myself, having only given 2507. /or him. 

 " I remain, dear Waffles, 



" Yours sincerely, 



"H. Sponge. 



" To W. Waffles, Esq., Imperial Hotel, Laverick Wells." 



" Laverick Wells. 

 "Dear Sponge, 



" I'm afraid Bullfrog will have to make himself happy ivithout 

 his horse, for I hav'n't the slightest idea ivhere he is. I sold him 

 to a cockneyfied, countryfied sort of a man, ivho said he had a small 

 ' hindependence of his own ' — someivhere, I believe, about London. 

 He didn't give much for him, as you may suppose, when I tell you 

 lie paid for him chiefly in silver. If I ivere you, I wouldn't 

 trouble myself about him. 



" Yours very truly, 



" W. Waffles. 

 "ToH. Sponge, Esq." 



Our hero addressed Mr. Waffles again, in the course of a few 

 days, as follows : — 



"Dear Waffles, 



" I am sorry to say Bullfrog won't be put off without the horse. 

 He says I insisted on his taking him back, and noiv he insists on 

 having him. I have had his lawyer, Mr Chousam, of the great firm 

 of Chousam, Doem, and Co., of Throgmorton-street, at me, ivho says 

 his lordship ivill play old gooseberry with us ifive don't return him 

 by Saturday. Pray put on all steam, and look him up. 



" Yours in haste, 

 " To W. Waffles, Esq." " H. SPONGE. 



