MR. SPONGE'S SPOUTING TOUR. 2G7 



Major Screw, looks uncommon sharp arter him, and he's a 

 minor." 



" Would he <pay ? " asked Sponge, who, keeping as he said, " no 

 books," was not inclined to do business on " tick." 



" Don't know," replied Jack, squinting at half-cock ; " don't 

 know — would depend a good deal, I should say, upon how it was 

 done. It's a deuced unhandsome world this. If one wins a trifle 

 of a youngster at cards, let it be ever so openly done, it's sure to 

 say one's cheated him, just because one happens to be a little 

 older, as if age had anything to do with making the cards come 

 right." 



" It's an ungenerous world," observed Sponge, " and it's no use 

 being abused for nothing. What sort of a genius is Pacey ? Is 

 he inclined to go the pace ? " 



"Oh, quite," replied Jack ; " his great desire is to be thought a 

 sportsman." 



" A sportsman or a sporting man ? " asked Sponge. 



" W-h-o-y ! I should say p'raps a sportin' man more than the 

 sportsman," replied Jack. " He's a great lumberin' lad, buttons 

 his great stomach into a Newmarket cut-a-way, and carries a 

 betting-book in his breast pocket." 



" Oh, he's a bettor, is he ! " exclaimed Sponge, brightening up. 



" He's a raw poult of a chap," replied Jack ; " just ready for 

 anything — in a small way, at least — a chap that's always offering 

 two to one in half-crowns. He'll have money, though, and can't 

 be far off age. His father was a great spectacle-maker. You 

 have heard of Pacey's spectacles ? " 



" Can't say as how I have," replied Sponge ; adding, " they 

 are more in your line than mine." 



The further consideration of the youth was interrupted by the 

 entrance of a footman with hot water, who announced that dinner 

 would be ready in half an hour. 



" Who's there coming ? " asked Jack. 



" Don't know 'xactly, sir," replied the man ; " believe much the 

 same party as yesterday, with the addition of Mr. Pacey ; Mr. 

 Miller, of Newton ; Mr. Fogo, of Bellevue ; Mr. Brown, of the 

 Hill ; and some others, whose names I forget." 



" Is Major Screw coming ? " asked Sponge. 



" I rayther think not, sir. I think I heard Mr. Plummey, the 

 butler say he declined." 



" So much the better," growled Jack, throwing off his purple- 

 lapped coat in commencement of his toilette. As the two dressed 

 they discussed the point how Pacey might be done. 



When our friends got down stairs it was evident there was a 

 ^reat spread. Two red plushed footmen stood on guard in the 

 entrance, helping the arrivers out of their wraps, while a buzz oi 



