MB. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 279 



"About the iv-h-a-w-tV drawled Jack, as if perfectly ignorant 

 of what Pacey was talking about. 



" About the horse, you know — about Mr. Sponge's horse, you 

 know — that you got me to challenge for you, you know," stammered 

 Pacey. 



" Oh, dash it, the chap's drunk," growled Jack aloud to himself ; 

 adding to Pacey, " you shouldn't get up so soon, man — sleep the 

 drink off." 



Pacey stood nonplussed. 



" Don't you remember, Mr. Spraggon," at last asked he, 

 after watching the tassel of Jack's cap peeping above the bed- 

 clothes, " what took place last night, you know ? You asked 

 me to get you Mr. Sponge's chestnut, and you know I did, yon 

 know." 



" Hout, lad, disperse ! — get out of this ! " exclaimed Jack, 

 starting his great red face above the bedclothes, and squinting 

 frightfully at Pacey. 



" "Well," my dear friend, but you did," observed Pacey, sooth- 

 ingly. 



" No7isense ! " roared Jack, again ducking under. 



Pacey stood agape. 



" Come ! " exclaimed Jack, again starting up, " cut your stick ! 

 — be off ! — make yourself scarce ! — give your rags a gallop, in 

 short ! — don't be after disturbin' a gen'leman of fortin's rest in 

 this way." 



" But, my dear Mr. Spraggon," resumed Pacey, in the same 

 gentle tone, " you surely forget what you asked me to do." 



" I do" replied Jack, firmly. 



" Well, but, my dear Mr. Spraggon, if you'll have the kindness 

 to recollect — to consider — to reflect on what passed, you'll surely 

 remember commissioning me to challenge Mr. Sponge's horse for 

 you ? " 



"Me!" exclaimed Jack, bouncing up in bed, and sitting 

 squinting furiously. " Me ! " repeated he ; " ^«^possible. How 

 could /do such a thing ? "Why, I handicap'd him, man, for you, 

 man ? " 



" You told me, for all that," replied Mr. Pacey, with a jerk of 

 the head. 



" Oh, by Jove ! " exclaimed Jack, taking his cap by the tassel, 

 and twisting it off his head, "that won't do [—downright impeach- 

 ment of one's integrity. Oh, by Jingo ! that won't do ! " motion- 

 ing as if he was going to bounce out of bed ; " can't stand that — 

 impeach one's integrity, you know, better take one's life, you know. 

 Life without honour's nothin', you know. Cock pheasant at "Wcy- 

 bridge, six o'clock i' the mornin' ! " 



"Oh, I assure you, I didn't mean anything of that sort," 



