MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 271 



" No, he isn't," replied Sponge, coolly ; adding, " very like one, 

 I should say." 



" Devilish good horse," growled Jack in Pacey's ear. 



" Oh, I dare say," whispered Pacey, pretending to be scraping 

 up the orange syrup in his plate ; adding, " I'm only chaffing the 

 beggar." 



" He looks solitary without the coach at his tail," continued 

 Pacey, looking up, and again addressing Sponge up the table. 



"He does,''' affirmed Sponge, amidst the laughter of the 

 party. 



Pacey didn't know how to take this ; whether as a " sell " or a 

 compliment to his own wit. He sat for a few seconds grinning 

 and staring like a fool ; at last, after gulping down a bumper of 

 claret, he again fixed his unmeaning green eves upon Sponge, and 

 exclaimed : 



" I'll challenge your horse, Mr. Sponge." 



A burst of applause followed the announcement ; for it was 

 evident that amusement was in store. 



"You'll iv-Ji-a-iv-t ? " replied Sponge, staring, and pretending 

 ignorance. 



"I'll challenge your horse," repeated Pacey with confidence, 

 and in a tone that stopped the lingering murmur of conversation, 

 and fixed the attention of the company on himself. 



" I don't understand you," replied Sponge, pretending astonish- 

 ment. 



" Lor bless us ! why where have you lived all your life ? " asked 

 Pacey. 



"Oh, partly in one place, and partly in another," was the 

 answer. 



" I should think so," replied Pacey, with a look of compassion ; 

 adding, in an under tone, " a good deal with your mother I 

 should think." 



" If you could get that horse at a moderate figure," whispered 

 Jack to his neighbour, and squinting his eyes inside out as he 

 spoke, " he's well worth having." 



" The beggar won't sell him," muttered Pacey, who was fonder 

 of talking about buying horses than of buying them. 



" Oh yes, he will," replied Jack ; " he didn't understand what 

 you meant. Mr. Sponge," said he, addressing himself slowly and 

 distinctly up the table to our hero — " Mr. Sponge, my friend Mr. 

 Pacey here challenges your chestnut." 



Sponge still stared in well-feigned astonishment. 



" It's a custom we have in this country," continued Jack, 

 looking, as he thought, at Sponge, but, in reality, squinting most 

 frightfully at the sideboard. 



" Do you mean he wants to buy him ? " asked Sponge. 



