MB. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUE. 139 



"Z>o," said Mr. Puffington ; "come before the frost. Where are 

 you staying now ? " 



" I'm at Jawleyford's," replied our friend. 



" Indeed ! — Jawleyford's, are you ? " repeated Mr. Puffington. 

 " Good fellow, Jawleyford — gentleman, Jawleyford. How long do 

 you stay ? " 



" Why, I haven't made up my mind," replied Sponge. " Have 

 no thoughts of budging at present." 



" Ah, well — good quarters," said Mr. Puffington, who now smelt 

 a rat ; " good quarters — nice girls — fine fortune — fine place, 

 Jawleyford Court. Well, book me for the next visit," added he. 



" I will," said Sponge, " and no mistake. What do they call 

 your shop ? " 



" Hanby House," replied Mr. Puffington ; " Hanby House — any 

 body can tell you where Hanby House is." 



'■ I'll not forget," said Mr. Sponge, booking it in his mind, and 

 eyeing his victim. 



" I'll show you a fine pack of hounds," said Mr. Puffington ; 

 "far finer animals than those of old Scamperdale's — steady, true 

 hunting hounds, that won't go a yard without a scent — none of 

 your jealous, flashy, frantic devils, that will tear over half a town- 

 ship without one, and are always looking out for ' holloas ' and 

 assistance " 



Mr. Puffington was interrupted in the comparison he was about 

 to draw between his lordship's hounds and his, by arriving at the 

 Bolsover brickfields, and seeing Jack and Blossomnose, horse in 

 hand, running to and fro, while sundry countrymen blobbed 

 about in the clay-hole they had so recently occupied. Tom 

 Washball, Mr. Wake, Mr. Fyle, Mr. Fossick, and several dark- 

 coated horsemen and boys, were congregated around. Jack had 

 lost his spectacles, and Blossomnose his whip, and the countrymen 

 were diving for them. 



" Not hurt, I hope?" said Mr. Puffington, in the most dandified 

 tone of indifference, as he rode up to where Jack and Blossomnose 

 were churning the water in their boots, stamping up and down, 

 trying to get themselves warm. 



" Hurt be hanged ! " replied Jack, who had a frightful squint, 

 that turned his eyes inside out when he was in a passion : " Hurt 

 be hanged ! " said he ; " might have been drowned, for anything 

 you'd have cared." 



" I should have been sorry for that," replied Mr. Puffington ; 

 adding, " The Flat Hat Hunt could ill afford to lose so useful and 

 ornamental a member." 



" I don't know what the Flat Hat Hunt can afford to lose," 

 spluttered Jack, who hadn't got all the clay out of his mouth ; 

 "but I know they can afford to do without the company of certain 



M 



