MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 345 



" Dare say it would," replied Sir Harry ; " those (hiccup) 

 hounds of mine are uncommon (hiccup)." He didn't know what 

 they were, and the hiccup came very opportunely. 



" The pace was terrific ! " exclaimed Sponge. 



" Dare say it would," replied Sir Harry ; " and that's what 

 makes me (hiccup) you're so (hiccup). Pea, here, has some rare 

 old October, — (hiccup) bushels to the (hiccup) hogshead." 



" It's capital ! " exclaimed Captain Seedybuck, frothing himself 

 a tumblerful out of the tall brown jug. 



" So is this," rejoined Captain Quod, pouring himself out a 

 liberal allowance of gin. 



" That horse of mine carried me MAGmficmtly ! " observed Mr 

 Sponge, with a commanding emphasis on the mag. 



" Dare say he would," replied Sir Harry ; " he looked like a 

 (hiccup)er — a white 'un, wasn't he ? " 



" No ; a "brown? replied Mr. Sponge, disgusted at the mistake. 



" Ah, well ; but there ivas somebody on a white," replied Sir 

 Harry. " Oh, — ah — yes, — it was old Bugles on my lady's horse. 

 By the (hiccup) way (hiccup), gentlemen, what's got Mr. Orlando 

 (hiccup) Bugles ? " asked Sir Harry, staring wildly round. 



" Oh ! old Bugles ! old Pad-the-Hoof ! old Mr. Funker ! the 

 horse frightened him so, that he went home crying," replied Bob 

 Spangles. 



" Hope he didn't lose him ? " asked Sir Harry. 



" Oh, no," replied Bob ; " he gave a lad a shilling to lead him, 

 and they trudged away very quietly together." 



" The old (hiccup) ! " exclaimed Sir Harry ; " he told me he 

 was a member of the Surrey something." 



" The Sorry Union," replied Captain Quod. " He teas out with 

 them once, and fell off on his head and knocked his hat-crown 

 out." 



" "Well, but I was telling you about the run," interposed Mr. 

 Sponge, again endeavouring to enlist an audience. " I was telling 

 you about the run," repeated he. 



"Don't trouble yourself, my dear sir," interrupted Captain 

 Bouncey ; "we know all about it — found — checked— killed, killed 

 — found — checked." 



" You can't know all about it ! " snapped Mr. Sponge ; " for 

 there wasn't a soul there but myself, much to my horror, for I 

 had a reg'lar row with old Scamperdale, and never a soul to 

 back me." 



" What ! you fell in with that mealy-mouthed gentleman, who 

 can't (hiccup) swear because he's a (hiccup) lord, did you ? " 

 asked Sir Harry, his attention being now drawn to our friend. 



" / did," replied Mr. Sponge ; " and a pretty passage of politeness 

 we had of it." 



