MR. SPONGE'S SPORTIXG TOUR. 217 



11 1 was huntsman, sir, to my lord Keynard, sir," observed the 

 stranger, with a touch of the hat to each "sir." "Thought 

 p'r'aps you might have known his ludship, sir. Before him, sir, 

 I held office, sir, under the Duke of Downeybird, sir, of Downey- 

 bird Castle, sir, in Downeybirdshire, sir." 



" Indeed ! " replied Mr. Puffington, with a half bow and a 

 smile of politeness. 



" Hearing, sir, you had taken these Mangeysterne dogs, sir," 

 continued the stranger, with rather a significant emphasis on the 

 word " dogs " — " hearing, sir, you had taken these Mangeysterne 

 dogs, sir, it occurred to me that possibly I might be useful to you, 

 sir, in your new calling, sir ; and if you were of the same 'pinion, 

 sir, why, sir, I should be glad to negotiate a connexion, sir." 



" Hem ! — hem ! — hem ! " coughed Mr. Puffington. " In the 

 way of a huntsman do you mean ? " . afraid to talk of servitude to 

 so fine a gentleman. 



" Just so," said Mr. Bragg, with a chuck of his head — " just so. 

 The fact is, though I'm used to the grass countries, sir, and could 

 go to the Marquis of Maneylies, sir, to-morrow, sir, I should prefer 

 a quiet place in a somewhat inferior country, sir, to a five-days-a- 

 week one in the best. Five and six days a-week, sir, is a terrible 

 tax, sir, on the constitution, sir ; and though, sir, I'm thankful to 

 say, sir, I've pretty good 'ealth, sir, yet, sir, you know, sir, it don't 

 do, sir, to take too great liberties with oneself, sir ; " Mr. Bragg 

 sawing away at his hat as he spoke, measuring off a touch, as 

 it were, to each " sir," the action becoming quick towards the 

 end. 



""Why, to tell you the truth," said Puff, looking rather sheepish 

 — " to tell you the truth — I intended — I thought at least of — of 

 — of — hunting them myself." 



" Ah ! that's another pair of shoes altogether, as we say in 

 France," replied Bragg, with a low bow and a copious round ol 

 the hand to the hat. " That's another pair of shoes altogether," 

 repeated he, tapping his boot with his whip. 



" Why I thought of it," rejoined Puff, not feeling quite sure 

 whether he could or not. 



" Well," said Mr. Bragg, drawing on his dog-skin glove as if to 

 be off. 



" My friend Swellcove does it," observed Puff. 



" True," replied Bragg, " true ; but my Lord Swellcove is one 

 of a thousand. See how many have failed for one that has suc- 

 ceeded. Why even my Lord Scamperdale was 'bliged to give it 

 up, and no man rides harder than my Lord Scamperdale — always 

 goes as if he had a spare neck in his pocket. But he couldn't 

 'unt a pack of 'ounds. Your gen'l'men 'untsmen are all very well 

 on fine scentin' days when everything goes smoothly and well, 



