MB. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 401 



" Bravo, Miss Howard ! " exclaimed Captain Cutitfat, clapping 

 his hands. 



"7 said nothing, captain," observed the yonng lady with 

 becoming prudery. 



" Here we are again ! " exclaimed Captain Quod, as a troop of 

 various-sized urchins, in pea-jackets, with blue noses and red 

 comforters, on very shaggy ponies, the two youngest swinging 

 in panniers over an ass, drew up alongside of the first comers. 



" Whose sliding-scale of innocence is that, I wonder ! " 

 exclaimed Miss Howard, contemplating the variously sized chubby 

 faces through the window. 



" He, he, he ! ho, ho, ho ! " giggled the guests. 



Another batch of innocence now hove in sight. 



" Oh, those are the little (hiccup) Raws," observed Sir Harry, 

 catching sight of the sky-blue collar of the servant's long drab 

 coat. " Good chap, old Johnny Raw ; ask them to (hiccup) in," 

 continued he, " and give them some (hiccup) cherry brandy ; " 

 and thereupon Sir Harry began nodding and smiling, and making 

 signs to them to come in. The youngsters, however, maintained 

 their position. 



" The little stupexes ! " exclaimed Miss Howard, going to the 

 window, and throwing up the sash. " Come in r young gents ! " 

 cried she, in a commanding tone, addressing herself to the last 

 comers. " Come in, and have some toffy and lollypops ! D'ye 

 hear ? " continued she, in a still louder voice, and motioning her 

 head toward the door. 



The boys sat mute. 



" You little stupid monkeys," muttered she in an under-tone, 

 as the cold air struck upon her head. " Come in, like good boys," 

 added she, in a louder key, pointing with her finger towards the 

 door. 



" Nor, thenk ye ! " at last drawled the elder of the boys. 



" Nor, thenk ye ! " repeated Miss Howard, imitating the drawl. 

 " Why not ? " asked she, sharply. 



The boy stared stupidly. 



" Why won't you come in ? " asked she, again addressing him. 



""Don't know," replied the boy, staring vacantly at his 

 younger brother, as he rubbed a pearl off his nose on the back of 

 his hand. 



" Don't know ! " ejaculated Miss Howard, stamping her little 

 foot on the Turkey carpet. 



" Mar said we hadn't," whined the younger boy, coming to the 

 rescue of his brother. 



" Mar said we hadn't ! " retorted the fair interrogator. " Why 

 not ? " 



" Don't know," replied the elder. 



