MB. SPONGE'S SPOBTING TOUB. 405 



" Who's your uncle Jellyboy ? " asked Miss Glitters. 



" He's a farmer, and keeps a few harriers at Scutley," observed 

 Bob Spangles, sotio voce. 



" And is that your extraordinary horse with all the legs ? " 

 asked Miss Howard, putting her glass to her eye, and scrutinising 

 a lank, woolly-coated weed, getting led about by a blue-aproned 

 gardener. " Is that your extraordinary horse, with all the legs ? " 

 repeated she, following the animal about with her glass. 



"Hoots, it hasn't more legs than other people's," growled 

 George. 



" It's got ten, at all events," replied Miss Howard, to the 

 astonishment of the juveniles. 



" Nor, it hasn't," replied George. 



" Yes, it has," rejoined the lady. 



" Nor, it hasn't," repeated George. 



" Come and see," said the lady ; adding, " perhaps it's put out 

 some since you got off." 



George slouched up to where she stood at the window. 



" Now," said he, as the gardener turned the horse round, and he 

 saw it had but four, "how many has it ? " 



" Ten ! " replied Miss Howard. 



" Hoots," replied George, " you think it's April Fool's Day, I 

 dare say." 



" No, I don't," replied Miss Howard ; " but I maintain your 

 horse has ten legs. See, now ! " continued she, " what do you 

 call these comiDg here ? " 



" His two forelegs," replied George. 



" "Well, two fours — twice four's eight, eh ? and his two hind 

 ones make ten." 



" Hoots," growled George, amidst the mirth of his comrades, 

 " you're makin' a fool o' one." 



""Well, but what must I do with all these little (hiccup) 

 creatures ? " asked Sir Harry again, seeing the plot still thickening 

 outside. 



" Turn them out a bagman," suggested Mr. Sponge, in an under- 

 tone ; adding, " Watchorn has a three-legged 'un, I know, in the 

 hay-loft." 



" Oh, AVatchorn wouldn't (hiccup) on such a day as this," replied 

 Sir Harry. " New-Year's Day, too — most likely away, seeing his 

 young hounds at walk." 



" We might see, at all events," observed Mr. Sponge. 



" Well," assented Sir Harry, ringing the bell. " Peter," said he, 

 as the servant answered the summons, " I wish you would (hiccup) 

 to Mr. Watchorn's, and ask if he'll have the kindness to (hiccup) 

 down here." Sir Harry was obliged to be polite, for Watchorn, 

 too, was on the " free list," as Miss Glitters called it. 



