192 MB. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 



occasional spurt of muddy water up into their faces, or the more 

 nerve-trying noise of a floundering stumble over a heap of stones 

 by the roadside. The country people stared with astonishment as 

 they passed, and the muggers and tinkers, who were withdrawing 

 their horses from the farmers' fields, stood trembling, lest they 

 might be the " pollis " coming after them. 



" I think it'll be a fine day," observed his lordship, after they 

 had bumped for some time in silence without its getting much 

 lighter. " I think it will be a fine day," he said, taking his chin 

 out of his great puddingy-spotted neckcloth, and turning his 

 spectacled face up to the clouds. 



" The want of light is its chief fault," observed Jack ; adding, 

 " it's deuced dark ! " 



" Ah, it'll get better of that," observed his lordship. " It's 

 not much after eight yet," he added, staring at his watch, and 

 with difficulty making out that it was half-past. " Days take 

 off terribly about this time of year," he observed ; " I've seen 

 about Christmas when it has never been rightly light all day 

 long." 



They then floundered on again for some time further as before. 



" Shouldn't wonder if we have a large field," at length observed 

 Jack, bringing his hack alongside his lordship's. 



" Shouldn't wonder if Puff himself was to come — all over 

 brooches and rings as usual," replied his lordship. 



"And Charley Slapp, I'll be bund to say," observed Jack. 

 "He's a regular hanger-on of Puff's." 



" Ass, that Slapp." said his lordship ; " hate the sight of him ! " 



"So do I," replied Jack ; adding, " hate a hanger-on ! " 



" There are the hounds," said his lordship, as they now 

 approached Culverton Dean, and a line of something white was 

 discernible travelling the zig-zagging road on the opposite 

 side. 



"Are they, think you?" replied Jack, staring through his 

 great spectacles ; " are they, think you ? It looks to me more 

 like a flock of sheep." 



" I believe you're right," said his lordship, staring too ; 

 "indeed, I hear the dog. The hounds, however, can't be far 

 ahead." 



They then drew into single file to take the broken horse-track 

 through the steep woody dean. 



" This is the longest sixteen miles I know," observed Jack, as 

 they emerged from it, and overtook the sheep. 



" It is," replied his lordship, spurring his hack, who was now 

 beginning to lag : " the fact is, it's eighteen," he continued ; " only 

 if I was to tell Frosty it was eighteen, he would want to lay over- 

 night, and that wouldn't do. Besides the trouble and incon- 



