MR. sponge's sporting tour. 43 



" You trust me" replied Leather, with a knowing wink, and a 

 jerk of his elbow against his master's side ; " you trust mc" repeated 

 he, with a look as much as to say " we understand each other." 



" I've hackled a few to them, indeed," continued Leather, looking 

 to see how his master took it. 



" Have you?" observed Mr. Sponge, inquiringly. 



"I've made out that you've as good as twenty, one way or an- 

 other," observed Leather ; " some 'ere, some there, all over in fact, 

 and that you jest run about the country, and 'unt with 'oever comes 

 h'uppermost." 



" Well, and what's the upshot of it all ? " inquired Mr. Sponge, 

 thinking his groom seemed wonderfully enthusiastic in his interest. 



" Why the hupshot of it is," replied Leather, " that the men arc 

 all mad, and the women all wild to see you. I hear at my club, the 

 Mutton Chop and Mealy Potato Club, which is frequented by flunkies 

 as well as grums, that there's nothin' talked of at dinner or tea, but 

 the terrible rich stranger that's a comin', and the gals are all pulling 

 caps, who's to have the first chance." 



" Indeed," observed Mr. Sponge, chuckling at the sensation he 

 was creating. 



" The Miss Shapsets, there be five on 'em, have had a game at fly 

 loo for you," continued Leather, " at least so their little maid tells 

 me." 



" Fly ivhat ? " inquired Mr. Sponge. 



" Fly loo," repeated Leather, " fly loo." 



Mr. Sponge shook his head. For once he was not " fly." 



" You see," continued Leather, in explanation, " their father is 

 one of them tight-laced candlestick priests wot abhors all sorts of wice 

 and himmorality, and won't stand card playin', or gamblin', or noth- 

 in' o' that sort, so the young ladies, when they want to settle a point, 

 who's to be married first, or who's to have the richest 'usband, play 

 fly loo. 'Sposing it's at breakfast time, they all sit quiet and sober like 

 round the table, lookin' as if butter wouldn't melt in their mouths, 

 ami each has a lump o' sugar on her plate, or by her cup, or some- 

 where, and whoever can 'tice a fly to come to her sugar first, wins the 

 wager, or whatever it is they play for." 



" Five on 'em," as Leather said, being a hopeless number to ex- 

 tract any good from, Mr. Sponge changed the subject by giving or- 

 ders for the morrow. 



Mr. Sponge's appearance being decidedly of the sporting order, 

 and his horses maintaining the character, did not alleviate the agita- 

 ted minds of the sporting beholders, ruffled as they were with the 

 threatening, vapouring insinuations of the coachman-groom, Peter 

 Leather. There is nothing sets men's backs up so readily, as a hint 

 that any one is coming to take the " shine " out of them across coun- 

 try. We have known the most deadly feuds engendered between 



