MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 183 



forefoot into my pocket, and tore the lap clean off by the skirt ; " 

 his lordship exhibiting the lap as he spoke. 



" It's your new coat, too," observed Jack, examining it with 

 concern as he spoke. 



" 'Deed, is it ! " replied his lordship, with a shake of the head. 

 " 'Deed, is it ! That's the consequence of having gone out to 

 breakfast. If it had been to-morrow, for instance, I should have 

 had number two on, or maybe number three," his lordship having 

 coats of every shade and grade, from stainless scarlet down to 

 tattered mulberry colour. 



" It'll mend, however," observed his lordship, taking it back 

 from Jack ; " it'll mend, however," he said, fitting it round to the 

 skirt as he spoke. 



" Oh, nicely ! " replied Jack ; " it's come off clean by the skirt. 

 But what said Old Blossom ? " inquired Jack. 



" Oh, he was full of apologies and couldn't helps it as usual," 

 replied his lordship ; " he was down, too, I should tell you, with 

 his horse on his left leg ; but there wasn't much time for apologies 

 or explanation, for the hounds were running pretty sharp, con- 

 sidering how long they had been at work, and there was the chance 

 of others jumping upon us if we didn't get out of the way, so we 

 both scrambled up as quick as we could and got into our places 

 again." 



" Which way did you go, then ? " asked Jack, who had listened 

 with the attention of a man who knows every yard of the 

 country. 



" Well," continued his lordship, casting back to where he got 

 his fall, " the fox crossed the Coatenburn township, picking all 

 the plough and bad-scenting ground as he went, but it was of no 

 use, his fate was sealed ; and though he began to run short, and 

 dodge and thread the hedge-rows, they hunted him yard by yard 

 till he again made an effort for his life, and took over Mossingburn 

 Moor, pointing for Penrose Tower on the hill. Here Frosty's 

 horse, Little Jumper, declined, and we left him standing in the 

 middle of the moor with a stiff neck, kicking and staring and 

 looking mournfully at his flanks. Daddy Longlegs, too, had 

 begun to sob, and in vain I looked back in hopes of seeing Jack- 

 a-Dandy coming up. ' Well,' said I to myself, ' I've got a pair of 

 good strong boots on, and I'll finish the run on foot but I'll see 

 it ; ' when, just at the moment, the pack broke from scent to 

 view, and rolled the fox up like a hedge-hog amongst them." 



" Well done ! " exclaimed Jack, adding, " that was a run with a 

 vengeance ! " 



" Wasn't it ? " replied his lordship, rubbing his hands and 

 stamping ; " the finest run that ever was seen — the finest run that 

 ever was seen ! " 



