MR. SPONGE'S SPOUTING TOUR. 411 



" Yes, sir," said Snooks, with a touch of his forelock. 



"And you'd better tell Mr. Leather to have a horse for his 

 master," observed Watchorn to Snaffle, "unless as how you wish 

 to put him on one of yours." 



"Not I," exclaimed Snaffle ; "have enough to mount without 

 him. Dye know how many'll be goin' ? " asked he. 



" No," replied "Watchorn, hurrying off ; adding, as he went,. 

 " oh, hang 'em, just saddle 'em all, and let 'em scramble for 'em." 



The scene then changed. Instead of hissing helpers pursuing 

 their vocations in stable or saddle-room, they Ibegan bustling about 

 with saddles on their heads and bridles in their hands, the day of 

 expected ease being changed into one of unusual trouble. Mr. 

 Leather declared, as he swept the clothes over Multum-in-Parvo's- 

 tail, that it was the most unconscionable proceeding he had ever 

 witnessed ; and muttered something about the quiet comforts he 

 had left at Mr. Jogglebury Crowdey's, hinting his regret at 

 having come to Sir Harry's, in a sort of dialogue with himself as 

 he saddled the horse. The beauties of the last place always come 

 out strong when a servant gets to au other. But we must 

 accompany Mr. Watchorn. 



Though his early career with the Camberwell and Balham 

 Hill Union harriers had not initiated him much into the delicacies 

 of the chase, yet, recollecting the presence of Mr. Sponge, he felt 

 suddenly seized with a desire of " doing things as they should 

 be ; " and he went muttering to the kennel, thinking how he 

 would leave Dinnerbell and Prosperous at home, and how the pack 

 would look quite as well without Frantic running half a field 

 ahead, or old Stormer and Stunner bringing up the rear with long 

 protracted howls. He doubted, indeed, whether he would take 

 Desperate, who was an incorrigible skirter ; but as she was not 

 much worse in this respect than Chatterer or Harmony, who was- 

 also an inveterate babbler, and the pack would look rather short 

 without them, he reserved the point for further consideration, as 

 the judges say. 



His speculations were interrupted by arriving at the kennel ; 

 and, finding the door fast, he looked under the slate, and above 

 the frame, and inside the window, and on the wall, for the key ; 

 and his shake, and kick, and clatter, were only answered by a full 

 chorus from the excited company within. 



" Hang the feller ! what's got 'ini ! " exclaimed he, meaning 

 Joe Haggish, the feeder, whom he expected to find there. 



Joe, however, was absent ; not holiday-making, but on a 

 diplomatic visit to Mr. Greystones, the miller, at Splashford, who 

 had positively refused to supply any more meal, until his " little 

 bill " (430/.) for the three previous years was settled ; and 

 flesh being very scarce in the country, the hounds were quite light 



