MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 41 



was a puttiug away of cues, hurrying on of coats, seeking of hats, 

 sorting of sticks, and a general desertion of the room for the railway 

 station. 



CHAPTER VII. 



OTJR HERO ARRIVES AT LAVERICK WELLS. 



Punctual to the moment, the railway train, containing the redoubt- 

 able genius, glid into the well-lighted, elegant little station of Lave- 

 rick Wells, and out of a first-class carriage emerged Mr. Sponge, in a 

 " down the road " coat, carrying a horse-sheet wrapper in his hand. 

 So small and insignificant did the station seem after the gigantic ones 

 of London, that Mr. Sponge thought he had wasted his money in 

 taking a first-class ticket, seeing there was no one to know. Mr. 

 Leather, who was in attendance, having received him hat in hand, 

 with all the deference due to the master of twenty hunters, soon un- 

 deceived him on that point. Having eased him of his wrapper, and 

 inquired about his luggage, and despatched a porter for a fly, they 

 stood together over the portmanteau and hat-box till it arrived. 

 " How are the horses ?" asked Sponge. 



" Oh, the osses be nicely, sir ; " replied Leather ; " they travelled 

 down uncommon well, and I've had 'em both remov'd sin they com'd, 

 so either on 'em is to fit to go i' the mornin' that you think proper." 

 " Where are the hounds ?" asked our hero. 



" 'Ounds be at Whirleypool Windmill," replied Leather, " that's 

 about five miles off." 



u What sort of country is it ? " inquired Sponge. 

 " It be a stifiish country from all accounts, with a good deal o' 

 water jumpin' ; that's to say, the Liffey runs twistin' and twinin' 

 about it like a H'eel." 



"Then I'd better ride the brown, I think," observed Sponge, 

 after a pause : " he has size and stride enough to cover anything, if 

 he will but face water." 



" I'll warrant him for that," replied Leather ; " only let the 

 Latchford's well into him, and he'll go." 



" Are there many hunting men down ? " inquired our friend, 

 ■ casually. 



" Great many," replied Leather, "great many; some good 'ands 

 among 'em too ; at least so say their grums, though I never believe all 

 these jockeys say. There be some on 'em 'ere now," observed Leather, 

 in an under tone, with a wink of his roguish eye, and jerk of his head 

 towards where a knot of them stood eyeing our friend most intently. 



