126 



of our hero's arm, " let us go to the door, for that cigar of yours will 

 fumigate the whole house ; and Mrs. Jawleyford hates the smell of 

 tobacco." 



Spigot, with his attendants in livery, here put a stop to the confab 

 by hurrying past, drawing the bolts, and throwing back the spacious 

 folding doors, as if royalty or Daniel Lambert himself were " coming 

 out." 



The noise they made was heard outside ; and on reaching the 

 top of the spacious flight of steps, Sponge's piebald in charge of a 

 dirty village lad, and Jawleyford's steeds with a sky-blue groom, 

 were seen scuttling under the portico, for the owners to mount. 

 The Jawleyford cavalry was none of the best ; but Jawleyford was 

 pleased with it, and that is a great thing. Indeed, a thing had only 

 to be Jawleyford's to make Jawleyford excessively fond of it. 



" There ! " exclaimed he, as they reached the third step from the 

 bottom. "There ! " repeated he, seizing Sponge by the arm, that's 

 what I call shape. You don't see such an animal as that every day," 

 pointing to a not badly-formed, but evidently worn-out, over-knee'd 

 bay, that stood knuckling and trembling for Jawleyford to mount. 



" One of the 'has beens,' I should say," replied Sponge, puffing a 

 cloud of smoke right past Jawleyford's nose ; adding, " It's a pity but 

 you could get him four new legs." 



" Faith, I don't see that he wants anything of the sort," retorted 

 Jawleyford, nettled as well at the smoke as the observation. 



"Well, where ' ignorance is bliss,' &c," replied Sponge, with 

 another great puff, which nearly blinded Jawleyford. " Get on, 

 and let's see how he goes," added he, passing on to the piebald as 

 he spoke. 



Mr. Jawleyford then mounted ; and having settled himself in a 

 military seat, touched the old screw with the spur, and set off at a 

 canter. The piebald, perhaps mistaking the portico for a booth, and 

 thinking it was a good place to exhibit in, proceeded to die in the 

 most approved form ; and not all Sponge's " Come-ups " or kicks 

 could induce him to rise before he had gone through the whole cere- 

 mony. At length, with a mane full of gravel, a side well smeared, 

 and a " Wilkinson & Kid " sadly scratched, the ci-devant actor 

 arose, much no the relief of the village lad, who, having indulged in 

 a gallop as he brought him from Lucksford, expected his death would 

 be laid to his door. No sooner was he up, than, without waiting for 

 him to shake himself, Mr. Soapey vaulted into the saddle, and 

 seizing him by the head, let in the Latchfords in a style that satis- 

 fied the hack he was not going to canter in a circle. Away he 

 went, best pace ; for like all Mr. Sponge's horses, he had the knack 

 of going, the general difficulty being to get them to go the way they 

 were wanted. 



Sponge presently overtook Mr. Jawleyford, who had been brought 



