162 MR. SPONGE'S SPOUTING TOUR. 



bottle," added he, carrying it off as if he had a whole pipe at 

 command, though in reality he had but another out. This 

 fortunately was less corked than the first ; and Jack having 

 given an approving smack of his great thick lips, Mr. Sponge took 

 it on his judgment, and gave a nod to Spigot, who forthwith took 

 his departure. 



"Old trick that," observed Jack, with a shake of the head, as 

 Spigot shut the door. 



" Is it ? " observed Mr. Sponge, taking up the observation, 

 though in reality it was addressed to the fire. 



" Noted for it," replied Jack, squinting at the sideboard, though 

 he was staring intently at Sponge to see how he took it. 



" Well, I thought we had a bottle with a queer smatch the other 

 night," observed Sponge. 



" Old Blossomnose corked half-a-dozen in succession one night," 

 replied Jack. 



(He had corked three, but Jawleyford recorked them, and Spigot 

 was now reproducing them to our friends.) 



Although they had now got the ice broken, and entered into 

 something like a conversation, it nevertheless went on very slowly, 

 and they seemed to weigh each word before it was uttered. Jack, 

 too, had time to run his peculiar situation through his mind, and 

 ponder on his mission from Lord Scamperdale — on his lordship's 

 detestation of Mr. Sponge, his anxiety to get rid of him, his 

 promised corner in his will, and his lordship's hint about buying 

 Sponge's horses if he could not get rid of him in any other way. 



Sponge, on his part, was thinking if there was any possibility of 

 turning Jack to account. 



It may seem strange to the uninitiated that there should be 

 prospect of gain to a middle-man in the matter of a horse-deal, save 

 in the legitimate trade of auctioneers and commission stable- 

 keepers ; but we are sorry to say we have known men calling 

 themselves gentlemen, who have not thought it derogatory to 

 accept a " trifle " for their good offices in the cause. " I can buy 

 cheaper than you," they say, "'and we may as well divide the trifle 

 between us." 



That was Mr. Spraggon's principle, only that the word " trifle " 

 inadequately conveys his opinion on the point ; Jack's notion 

 being that a man was entitled to 5Z. per cent, as of right, and as 

 much more as he could get. 



It was not often that Jack got a " bite " at my lord, which, 

 perhaps, made him think it the more incumbent on him not a miss 

 an opportunity. Having been told, of course he knew exactly the 

 style of man he had to deal with in Mr. Sponge — a style of men of 

 whom there is never any difficulty in asking if they will sell their 

 horses, price being the only consideration. They are, indeed, a 



