MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 151 



and the ladies, seeing how things were going, beat a precipitate 

 retreat, leaving our hero to his fate. 



" I'll leave a note on my writing-table when I go to bed," 

 observed Jawleyford to Spigot, as the latter was retiring after deposi- 

 ting the bottle ; " and tell Harry to start with it early in the morn- 

 ing, so as to get to AYooclmansterne about breakfast — nine o'clock, 

 or so, at latest," added he. 



" Yes, sir," replied Spigot, withdrawing with an air. 



Sponge then wanted to narrate the adventures of the day ; but, 

 independently of Jawleyford's natural indifference for hunting, he was 

 too much out of humour at being done out of his wine to lend a will- 

 ing ear; and after sundry "hums" " indeeds," "sos," &c. Sponge 

 thought he might as well think the run over to himself as trouble 

 to put it into words ; whereupon a long silence ensued, interrupted 

 only by the tinkling of Jawleyford's spoon against his glass, and 

 the bumps of the decanter as Sponge helped himself to his wine. 



At length Jawleyford, having had as much negus as he wanted, 

 excused himself from further attendance, under the plea of increas- 

 ing illness, and retired to his study to concoct his letter to Jack. 



At first he was puzzled how to address him. If he had been 

 Jack Spraggon, living in old Mother Nipcheese's lodgings at Star- 

 field, as he was when Lord Scamperdale took him by the hand, he 

 would have addressed him as " Dear Sir," or perhaps in the third 

 person, " Mr. Jawleyford presents his compliments to Mr. Sprag- 

 gon," &c. ; but, as my lord's right-hand man, Jack carried a certain 

 weight, and commanded a certain influence, that he would never have 

 acquired of himself. 



Jawleyford spoilt three sheets of cream-laid satin-wove note- 

 paper (crested and ciphered) before he pleased himself with a begin- 

 ning. First he had it " Dear Sir," which he thought looked too stiff; 

 then he had it " My dear Sir," which he thought looked too loving; 

 next he had it " Dear Spraggon," which he considered as too famil- 

 iar ; and then he tried " Dear Mr. Spraggon," which he thought would 

 do. Thus he wrote : — 



" Dear Mr. Spraggon, — I am sorry to be obliged to put you off; 

 but since I came in from hunting I have been attacked with influ- 

 enza, which will incapacitate me from the enjoyment of society at 

 least for two or three days. I therefore think the kindest thing I 

 can do is to write to put you off; and, in the hopes of seeing both 

 you and my lord at no distant day, 



I remain, dear sir, yours sincerely, 



" Charles James Jawleyford, 

 " To John Spraggon, Esq., "Jawleyford Court. 



&c. &c. &c." 



This he sealed with the great seal of Jawleyford Court — a coat 



