175 



" Not so clear about that," replied Jack, gobbling away ; " time 

 and my lord wait for no man. But its hardly the half-hour yet," 

 added he, looking at his watch. 



He then fell to with the voracity of a hound after hunting. 

 Sponge, too, made the most of his time, as did two or three others 

 who still remained. 



" Now for the jumping-powdcr ! " at length exclaimed Sponge, 

 looking round for the bottle. " What shall it be, cherry or neat? " 

 continued he, pointing to the two. 



" Cherry for me," replied Jack, squinting and eating away with- 

 out looking up. 



" I say neat" rejoined Sponge, helping himself out of the French 

 bottle. 



" You'll be hard to hold after that," observed Jack, as he eyed 

 Sponge tossing it off. 



" I hope my horse won't," replied Sponge, remembering he was 

 going to ride the resolute chestnut. 



" You'll show us the way, I dare say," observed Jack. 



" Shouldn't wonder," replied Sponge, helping himself to a second 

 glass. 



" What ! at it again ! " exclaimed Jack, adding, " Take care you 

 don't ride over my lord." 



" Til take care of the old file," said Sponge; " it wouldn't do to 

 kill the goose that lays the golden what-do-ye-call-'ems, you know — 

 he, he he ! " * 



" No," chuckled Jack ; " 'deed it wouldn't — must make the most 

 of him." 



" What sort of a humour is he in to-day ? " asked Sponge. 



" Middlin'," replied Jack, " middlin 7 ; he'll abuse you most 

 likely, but that you mustn't mind." 



" Not I," replied Sponge, who was used to that sort of thing. 



" You mustn't mind me either," observed Jack, sweeping the last 

 piece of sausage into his mouth with his knife, and jumping up from 

 the table. " When his lordship rows I row," added he, diving under 

 the side table for his flat hat. 



" Hark! there's the horn!" exclaimed Sponge, rushing to the 

 window. 



" So there is," responded Jack, standing transfixed on one leg to 

 the spot. 



" By the powers, they're away ! " exclaimed Sponge, as his lord- 

 ship was seen hat in hand careering over the meadow beyond the 

 cover, with the tail hounds straining to overtake their flying com- 

 rades. Twang — twang — twang went Frostyface's horn ; crack — 

 crack — crack — went the ponderous thongs of the whips ; shouts, and 

 yells, and yelps, and whoops, and holloas, proclaimed the usual wild 

 excitement of this privileged period of the chase. All was joy, save 



