76 mr. sponge's sporting tour. 



ing him back, according to the terms of my letter ; I must therefore 

 trouble you to hunt him up, and let us accommodate his lordship 

 with him again. If you will say where he is, I may very likely 

 know some one who can assist us in getting him. You will excuse 

 this trouble, I hope, considering that it was to serve you that I moved 

 in the matter, and insisted on returning him to his lordship, at a loss 

 of 50/. to myself, having only given 250Z. for him. 



" I remain, dear Waffles, 



" Yours sincerely, 



" H. Sponge. 

 " To W. Waffles, Esq., Imperial Hotel, Laverick Wells." 



" Laverich Wells. 

 " Dear Sponge, 



" I'm afraid Bullfrog will have to make himself happy without 

 his horse, for I hav'n't the slightest idea where he is. I sold him to 

 a cockneyfied, countryfied sort of a man, who said he had a small 

 ' hindependence of his own ' — somewhere, I believe, about London. 

 He didn't give much for him, as you may suppose, when I tell you 

 he paid for him chiefly in silver. If I were you, I wouldn't trouble 

 myself about him. 



" Yours very truly, 



" W. Waffles. 

 " To H. Sponge, Esq." 



Our hero addressed Mr. AVaffles again, in the course of a few days, 

 as follows : — 



" Dear Waffles, 



" I am sorry to say Bullfrog won't be put off without the horse. 

 He says I insisted on his taking him back, and now he insists on 

 having him. I have had his lawyer, Mr. Chousam, of the great firm 

 of Chousam, Doem, and Co., of Throgmorton-street, at me, who says 

 his lordship will play old gooseberry with us if we don't return him 

 by Saturday. Pray put on all steam, and look him up. 



" Yours in haste, 



"H. Sponge. 

 " To W. Waffles, Esq." 



Mr. Waffles did put on all steam, and so successfully, that he run 

 the horse to ground at our friend Mr. Buckram's. Though the horse 

 was in the box adjoining the house, Mr. Buckram declared he had 

 sold him to go to " Hireland ; " to what county he really couldn't 

 say, nor to what hunt ; all he knew was, the gentleman said he was a 

 " captin," and lived in a castle. 



Mr. Waffles communicated the intelligence to Sponge, requesting 

 him to do the best he could for him, who reported what his " best " 

 was in the following letter : — 



