70 MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 



Mr. Waffles did put on all steam, and so successfully that he ran 

 the horse to ground at our friend Mr. Buckram's. Though the 

 horse was in the box adjoining the house, Mr. Buckram declared 

 he had sold him to go to " Hireland ; " to what county he really 

 couldn't say, nor to what hunt ; all he knew was, the gentleman 

 said he was a " captin," and lived in a castle. 



Mr. Waffles communicated the intelligence to Sponge, requesting 

 him to do the best he could for him, who reported what his "best" 

 was in the following letter : — 



" Dear Waffles, 

 " My laivyer has seen Chousam, and deuced stiff he says lie 

 was. It seems Bullfrog is indignant at being accused of a "do ;" 

 and having got me in the wrong box, by not being able to return the 

 horse as claimed, he meant to work me. At first Chousam would 

 hear of nothi?ig but ' I — a — w. f Bullfrog' 's wounded honour could 

 only be salved that ivay. Gradually, however, we diverged from 

 I — a — to to £ — s. — d. ; and the upshot of it is, that he will advise 

 his lordship to lake 2501. and be done with it. It's a bore ; but I 

 did it for the best, and shall be glad now to know your wishes on the 

 subject. Meanwhile, I remain, 



" Yours, very truly, 



" H. Sponge. 

 " To W. Waffles, Esq." 



Formerly a remittance by post used to speak for itself. The 

 tender-fingered clerks could detect an enclosure, however skilfully 

 folded. Few people grudged double postage in those days. Now 

 one letter is so much like another, that nothing short of opening 

 them makes one any wiser. Mr. Sponge received Mr. Waffles' 

 answer from the hands of the waiter with the sort of feeling that it 

 was only the continuation of their correspondence. Judge, then, 

 of his delight, when a nice, clean, crisp promissory note, on a five- 

 shilling stamp, fell quivering to the floor. A few lines, expressive 

 of Mr. Waffles' gratitude for the trouble our hero had taken, and 

 hopes that it would not be inconvenient to take a note at two 

 months, accompanied it. At first Mr. Sponge was overjoyed. It 

 would set him up for the season. He thought how he'd spend it. 

 He had half a mind to go to Melton. There were no heiresses 

 there, or else he would. Leamington would do, only it was 

 rather expensive. Then he thought he might as well have done 

 Waffles a little more. 



" Confound it !" exclaimed Sponge, "I don't do myself justice ! 

 Pm too much of a gentleman ! I should have had five 'under'd — 

 buch an ass as Waffles deserves to be done ! " 



