404 MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 



" Xo, ar haven't," replied Cheek, pleased at the imputation. 



" Then there's a chance for you. Miss G.," retorted the captain. 

 " Mrs. George Cheek would look well on a glazed card with gilt 

 edges." 



'• What a cub ! " exclaimed Miss Howard, in disgust. 



" You're another," replied Master Cheek, amidst a roar of 

 laughter from the party. 



"Well, but you ask your master if you mayn't have a wife 

 next half, and we'll see if we can't arrange matters," observed 

 Miss Glitters. 



" Xoo, ar sharnt," replied George, stuffing his mouth full of 

 preserved apricot. 



" Why not ? " asked Miss Howard. 



' Because — because — ar'll have somethin' younger," replied 

 George. 



" Bravo, young Chesterfield ! " exclaimed Miss Howard ; adding, 

 " what it is to be thick with Lord John Manners ! " 



" Ar'm tiot," growled the boy, amidst the mirth of the company. 



" Well, but what must we do with these little (hiccup) ? " asked 

 Sir Harry, at last rising from the breakfast-table, and looking 

 listlessly round the company for an answer. 



" ! liquor them well, and send them home to their mammas," 

 suggested Captain Bouncey, who was all for the drink. 



"But they won't take their (hiccup)," replied Sir Harry, 

 holding up a Curacoa bottle to show how little had disappeared. 



" Try them with cherry brandy," suggested Captain Seedeybuck ; 

 adding, "it's sweeter. Now, young man," continued he, ad- 

 dressing George Cheek, as he poured him out a wine-glassful, 

 " this is the real Daffy's elixir that you read of in the papers. It's 

 the finest compound that ever was known. It will make your 

 hair curl, your whiskers grow, and you a man before your mother." 



"N-o-a, n-o-ar, don't want any more," growled the young 

 gentleman, turning away in disgust. " Ar won't drink any more." 



" Well, but be sociable," observed Miss Howard, helping herself 

 to a glass. 



" N-o-a, no, ar don't want to be sociable," growled he, diving 

 into his trouser-pockets, and wriggling about on his chair. 



" Well, then, what will you do ? " asked Miss Howard. 



" Hunt," replied the youth. 



"Hunt!" exclaimed Bob Spangles; "why, the ground's as 

 hard as bricks." 



" X-o-a, it's not," replied the youth. 



" What a whelp ! " exclaimed Miss Howard, rising from the 

 table in disgust. 



"My uncle, Jellyboy, wouldn't let such a frost stop him. I 

 know," observed the boy. 



