ME. SPONGE'S SPOUTING TOUR. 281 



"You'll be my second," growled Jack, from under the bed- 

 clothes. 



"Oh ! second be hanged," retorted Sponge. "You've nothing 

 to fight about ; Mr. Pacey says he didn't mean anything, that you 

 misunderstood him, and what more can a man want ?" 



" Just so," replied Mr. Pacey — " just so. I assure you I never 

 intended the slightest imputation on Mr. Spraggon." 



" I'm sure not," replied Mr. Sponge. 



" H-u-m-p-h" grunted Jack from under the bedclothes, like a 

 pig in the straw. Not showing any disposition to appear on the 

 surface again, Mr. Sponge, after standing a second or two, gave a 

 jerk of his head to Mr. Pacey, and forthwith conducted him 

 into his own room, shutting the door between Mr. Spraggon and 

 him. 



Mr. Sponge then inquired into the matter, kindly sympathising 

 with Mr. Pacey, who he was certain never meant anything dis- 

 respectful to Mr. Spraggon, who, Mr. Sponge thought, seemed 

 rather quick at taking offence ; though, doubtless, as Mr. Sponge 

 observed, " a man was perfectly right in being tenacious of 

 his integrity," a position that he illustrated by a familiar 

 passage from Shakespeare, about stealing a purse and stealing 

 trash, &c. 



Emboldened by his kindness, Mr. Pacey then get Mr. Sponge on 

 to talk about the horse of which he had become the unwilling 

 possessor — the renowned chestnut, Multum in Parvo. 



Mr. Sponge spoke like a very prudent, conscientious man ; said 

 that really it was difficult to give an opinion about a horse ; that 

 what suited one man might not suit another — that he, considered 

 Multum in Parvo a very good horse ; indeed, that he wouldn't 

 have parted with him if he hadn't more than he wanted, and the 

 cream of the season had passed without his meeting with any of 

 those casualties that rendered the retention of an extra horse or two 

 desirable. Altogether, he gave Mr. Pacey to understand that he 

 held him to his bargain. Having thanked Mr. Sponge for his 

 great kindness, and got an order on the groom (Mr. Leather) to 

 have the horse out, Mr. Pacey took his departure to the stable, and 

 Sponge having summoned his neighbour Mr. Spraggon from his 

 bed, the two proceeded to a passage window that commanded a 

 view of the stable-yard. 



Mr. Pacey presently went swaggering across it, cracking his 

 jockey whip against his leg, followed by Mr. Leather, with a saddle 

 on his shoulder and a bridle in his hand. 



" He'd better keep his whip quiet," observed Mr. Sponge, with a 

 shake of his head, as he watched Pacey's movements. 



" The beggar thinks he can ride anything," observed Jack. 



" He'll find his mistake out just now," replied Sponge. 



