MR. SPONGE'S SPORTIX'J TOUR. 171 



of the season of my lord's hounds meeting there, and the handsome 

 Mrs. Springwheat had had as much trouble in overhauling the 

 china and linen, and in dressing the children, preparatory to 

 breakfast, as Springwheat had had in collecting knives and forks, 

 and wine-glasses and tumblers for his department of the entertain- 

 ment, to say nothing of looking after his new tops and cords. 

 " The Hill," as the country people call it, was " full fig " ; and a 

 bright, balmy winter's day softened the atmosphere, and felt as 

 though a summer's day had been shaken out of its place into 

 winter. It is not often that the English climate is accommodating 

 enough to lend its aid to set off a place to advantage. 



Be that, however, as it may, things looked smiling both without 

 and within. Mrs. Springwheat, by dint of early rising and 

 superintendence, had got things into such a state of forwardness 

 as to be able to adorn herself with a little jaunty cap — curious in 

 microscopic punctures and cherry-coloured ribbon interlarduients, 

 — placed so far back on her finely-shaped head as to proclaim 

 beyond all possibility of cavil that it was there for ornament, and 

 not for the purpose of concealing the liberties of time with her 

 well-kept, clearly-parted, raven-black hair. Liberties of time, 

 forsooth ! Mrs. Springwheat was in the heighday of womanhood ; 

 and though she had presented Springwheat with twins three times 

 in succession, besides an eldest son, she was as young, fresh-looking, 

 and finely-figured as she was the day she was married. She was 

 now dressed in a very fine French grey merino, with a very small 

 crochet-work collar, and, of course, capacious muslin sleeves. 

 The high flounces to her dress set off her smart waist to great 

 advantage. 



Mrs. Springwheat had got everything ready, and herself too, . 

 by the time Lord Scamperdale's second horseman rode into the 

 yard and demanded a stall for his horse. Knowing how soon the 

 balloon follows the pilot, she immediately ranged the Stunner- 

 tartan-clad children in the breakfast-room ; and as the first whip's 

 rate sounded as he rode round the corner, she sank into an easy- 

 chair by the fire, with a lace-fringed kerchief in the one hand, and 

 the Mark Lane Express in the other. 



" Halloa ! Springey ! " followed by the heavy crack of a whip, 

 announced the arrival of his lordship before the green palings ; 

 and a loud view halloa burst from Jack, as the object of inquiry 

 was seen dancing about the open windowed room above, with his 

 face all flushed with the exertion of pulling on a very tight boot. 



" Come in, my lord ! pray, come in ! The missis is below ! " 

 exclaimed Springwheat, from the window ; and just at the moment 

 the pad-groom emerged from the house, and ran to his lordship's 

 horse's head. 



His lordship and Jack then dismounted, and gave their hacks 



