26C 



MP. SPONGE'S SPOUTING TOUR. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



A DINNER AND A DEAL. 



\NOTHER grand 

 dinner, on a more 

 extensive scale 

 than its prede- 

 cessor, marked 

 the day of this 

 glorious run. 



" There's goin' 

 to be a great blow 

 out," observed 

 Mr. Spraggon to 

 Mr. Sponge, as, 

 crossing his 

 hands and resting 

 them on the 

 crown of his head, 

 he threw himself 

 back in his easy 

 chair, to recruit 

 after the exertion 

 of concocting the 

 description of the 

 run. 



"How d'ye 

 know ? " asked 

 Sponge. 



" Saw by the 



dinner table as we passed," replied Jack ; adding, " it reaches 

 nearly to the door." 

 " Indeed," said Sponge, " I wonder who's coming ? " 

 " Most likely Guano, again ; indeed, I know he is, for I asked 

 his groom if he was going home, and he said no ; and Lumpleg, 

 you may be sure, and possibly old Blossomnose, Slapp, and, very 

 likely, young Pacey." 



" Are they chaps with any ' go ' in them ? — shake their elbows, 

 or anything of that sort ? " asked Sponge, working away as if he 

 had the dice-box in his hand. 



" I hardly know," replied Jack, thoughtfully. " I hardly know. 

 Young Pacey, I think, might be made summut on ; but his uncle, 



MR. PACEY. 



