mr. sponge's sporting tour. 173 



" Won't you take a little refreshment ? " asked Mr. Springwheat, 

 in the hearty way these hospitable fellows welcome everybody. 



" Yes, I will," replied Sponge, turning to the sideboard as though 

 it were an inn. " That's a monstrous fine ham," observed he; "why 

 doesn't somebody cut it ? " 



" Let me help you to some, sir," replied Mr. Springwheat, seizing 

 the buck-handled knife and fork, and diving deep into the rich red 

 meat with the knife. 



Mr. Sponge having got two bountiful slices, with a knotch of 

 home-made brown bread, and some mustard on his plate, now made 

 for the table, and elbowed himself into a place between Mr. Fossiek 

 and Mr. Sparks, immediately opposite Mr. Spraggon. 



" Good morning," said he to that worthy, as he saw the whites 

 of his eyes showing through his spectacles. 



" Mornin' " muttered Jack, as if his mouth was either too full to 

 articulate or he didn't want to have anything to say to Mr. Sponge. 



" Here's a fine hunting morning, my lord," observed Sponge, ad- 

 dressing himself to his lordship, who sat on Jack's left. 



" Here's a very fine hunting morning, my lord," repeated Sponge, 

 not getting an answer to his first assertion. 



" Is it ? " blurted his lordship, pretending to be desperately busy 

 with the contents of his plate, though in reality his appetite was 

 gone. 



A dead pause now ensued, interrupted only by the clattering of 

 knives and forks, and the occasional exclamations of parties in want 

 of some particular article of food. A chill had come over the scene 

 — a chill whose cause was apparent to every one, except the worthy 

 Jiost and hostess, who had not heard of Mr. Sponge's descent upon 

 the country. They attributed it to his lordship's indisposition, and 

 Mr. Springwheat endeavoured to cheer him up with the prospect of 

 sport, 



" There's a brace, if not a leash, of foxes in cover, my lord," ob- 

 served he, seeing his lordship was only playing with the contents of 

 his plate. 



" Is there ? " exclaimed his lordship, brightening up : " let's be 

 at 'em ! " added he, jumping up and diving under the side table for 

 his flat hat and heavy iron hammer-headed whip. " Good morning, 

 my dear Mrs. Springwheat," exclaimed he, putting on his hat, and 

 seizing both her soft fat-fingered hands and squeezing them ardently. 

 " Good morning, my dear Mrs. Springwheat," repeated he, adding, 

 " By Jove ! if ever there was an angel in petticoats, you're her ; I'd 

 give a hundred pounds for such a wife as you ! I'd give a thousand 

 pounds for such a wife as you ! By the powers ! I'd give five thousand 

 pounds for such a wife as you ! " With such asseverations his lord- 

 ship stamped away in his great clumsy boots, amidst the ill-suppressed 

 laughter of the party. 



