158 MB. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 



" Hem — cough — hem — thank ye, mum," muttered Jack. " I'm 

 not — hem — cough — cold, thank ye, mum." His face and hands 

 were purple notwithstanding. 



"How is my Lord Scamperdale ?" asked Amelia, who had a 

 strong inclination to keep in with all parties. 



" Hem — cough — hem — my lord — that's to say my lady — hem 

 — cough — I mean to say, my lord's pretty well, thank ye," stuttered 

 Jack. 



" Is he coming ? " asked Amelia. 



" Hem — cough — hem — my lord's — hem — not well — cough — no — 

 hem — I mean to say — hem — cough — my lord's gone — hem— to dine 

 — cough — hem — with his — cough — friend Lord Bubbley Jock — hem 

 — cough — I mean Barker — cough." 



Jack and Lord Scamperdale were so in the habit of calling his 

 lordship by this nickname, that Jack let it slip, or rather cough 

 out, inadvertently. 



In due time Spigot returned, with "Master's compliments, and 

 he was very sorry but he was so unwell that he was quite unable 

 to see any one." 



" Oh, dear ! " exclaimed Mrs. Jawleyford. 



" Poor pa ! " lisped Amelia. 



" What a pity ! " observed Mr. Sponge. 



"I must go and see him," observed Mrs. Jawleyford, hurrying off. 



" Hem — cough — hem — hope he's not much — hem — damaged ? " 

 observed Jack. 



The old lady being thus got rid of, and Jawleyford disposed of 

 — apparently for the night — Mr. Spraggon felt more comfortable, 

 and presently yielded to Amelia's entreaties to come near the fire 

 and thaw himself. Spigot brought candles, and Mr. Sponge sat 

 moodily in his chair, alternately studying Mogg's " Cab Fares " — 

 " Old Bailey, Newgate-street, to or from the Adelphi, the Terrace, 

 Is. Qd. ; Admiralty, 2s. ; " and so on ; and hazarding promiscuous 

 sidelong sort of observations, that might be taken up by Jack or 

 not, as he liked. He seemed determined to pay Mr. Jack off for 

 his out-of-door impudence. Amelia, on the other hand, seemed 

 desirous of making up for her suitor's rudeness, and kept talking 

 to Jack with an assiduity that perfectly astonished her sister, 

 who had always heard her speak of him with the utmost 

 abhorrence. 



Mrs. Jawleyford found her husband in a desperate state of 

 excitement, his influenza being greatly aggravated by Harry having 

 returned very drunk, with the mare's knees desperately broken 

 " by a fall," as Harry hiccuped out, or by his " throwing her 

 down," as Jawleyford declared. Horses fall with their masters, 

 servants throiv them down. What a happiness it is when people 

 can send their servants on errands by coaches or railways, instead 



