MB. SPONGE'S SPOBTING TOUB. 239 



receptions, squinted and stared with surprise at the unwonted 

 warmth, so different to their last interview, when Jack was fresh 

 out of his clay-hole in the Brick Fields ; but not being easily put 

 out of his way, he just took Puff as Puff took him. They talked 

 of Scamperdale, and they talked of Frostyface, and the number of 

 foxes he had killed, the price of corn, and the difference its price 

 made in the keep of hounds and horses. Altogether they were 

 very " thick." 



" And how's our friend Sponge ? " asked Puffmgton, as the 

 conversation at length began to flag. 



" Oh, he's nicely," replied Jack ; adding, " hasn't he come 

 yet ? " 



" Not that I've seen," answered Puffmgton ; adding, " I thought, 

 perhaps, you might come together." 



" No," grunted Jack ; " he comes from Jawleyford's, you know ; 

 I'm from Woodmansterne." 



" We'll go and see if he's come," observed Puffmgton, open- 

 ing a door in the garden-wall, into which he had manoeuvred Jack, 

 communicating with the court-yard of the stable. 



" Here are his horses," observed Puffmgton, as Mr. Leather 

 rode through the great gates on the opposite side, with the renowned 

 hunters in full marching order. 



"Monstrous fine animals they are," said Jack, squinting 

 intently at them. 



" They are that," replied Puffmgton. 



" Mr. Sponge seems a very pleasant, gentlemanly man," observed 

 Mr. Puffmgton. 



" Oh, be is," replied Jack. 



" Can you tell me — can you inform me — that's to say, can you 

 give me any idea," hesitated Puffmgton, " what is the usual 

 practice — the usual course — the usual understanding as to the 

 treatment of those sort of gentlemen ? " 



" Oh, the best of everything's good enough for them," replied 

 Jack, adding, " just as it is with me." 



" Ah, I don't mean in the way of eating and drinking, but in 

 the way of encouragement — in the way of a present, you know ? " 

 adding — " AVhat did my lord do ? " seeing Jack was slow at 

 comprehension. 



" Oh, my lord bad-worded him well," replied Jack ; adding 

 " he didn't get much encouragement from him." 



" Ah, that's the worst of my lord," observed Puffmgton ; " he's 

 rather coarse — rather too indifferent to public opinion. In a case 

 of this sort, you know, that doesn't happen every day, or, perhaps, 

 more than once in a man's life, it's just as well to be favourably 

 spoken of as not, you know ; " adding, as he looked intently at 

 Jack — " Do vou understand me ? " 



