MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 107 



" I don't know that," replied Sponge, " the rains come down, 

 and though the country will ride heavy, I don't see why we shouldn't 

 have sport after it." 



" But the glass is falling, and the wind's gone round the wrong 

 way; the moon changed this morning — everything, in short, indi- 

 cates continued wet," replied Jawleyford. m " The rivers are all 

 swollen, and the low grounds under water ; besides, my dear fellow, 

 consider the distance — consider the distance ; sixteen miles, if it's a 

 yard." 



" What, Duntleton Tower ! " exclaimed Sponge, recollecting that 

 Jawleyford had said it was only ten the night before. 



" Sixteen miles, and had road," replied Jawleyford. 



" The deuce it is ! " muttered Sponge ; adding, " Well, I'll go and 

 see my groom, at all events." So saying, he rang the bell as if the 

 house was his own, and desired Spigot to show him the way to his 

 servant. 



Leather, of course, was in the servants'-hall, refreshing himself 

 with cold meat and ale, after his ride up from Lucksford. 



Finding that he had ridden the hack up, he desired Leather to 

 leave him there. " Tell the groom I must have him put up," said 

 Sponge ; "and you ride the chestnut on in the morning. How far is 

 it to Duntleton Tower ? " asked he. 



" Twelve or thirteen miles, they say, from here," replied Leather; 

 " nine or ten from Lucksford." 



"Well, that'll do," said Sponge; "you tell the groom here to 

 have the hack saddled for me at nine o'clock, and you ride Multum 

 in Parvo quietly on, either to the meet, or till I overtake you." 



" But how am I to get back to Lucksford ? " asked Leather, 

 cocking up a foot to show how thinly he was shod. 



" Oh, just as you can," replied Sponge ; " get the groom here to 

 set you down with his master's hacks. I daresay they haven't been 

 out to-day, and it'll do them good." 



So saying, Mr. Sponge left his valuable servant to do the best he 

 could for himself. 



Having returned to the music-room, with the aid of an old county 

 map, Mr. Sponge proceeded to trace his way to Duntleton Tower; 

 aided, or rather retarded, by Mr. Jawleyford, who kept pointing out 

 all sorts of difficulties, till, if Mr. Sponge had followed his advice, 

 he would have made eighteen or twenty miles of the distance. 

 Sponge, however, being used to scramble about strange countries, 

 saw the place was to be accomplished in ten or eleven. Jawleyford 

 was sure he would lose himself, and Sponge was equally confident 

 that he wouldn't. 



At length the glad sound of the gong put an end to all further ar- 

 gument ; and the inmates of Jawleyford Court retired, candle in hand, 

 to their respective apartments, to adorn for a repetition of the yester- 



