MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 181 



horse on his left leg ; but there wasn't much time for apologies or 

 explanation, for the hounds were running pretty sharp, considering 

 how long they had been at work, and there was the chance of others 

 jumping upon us if we didn't get out of the way, so we both scram- 

 bled up as quick as we could and got into our places again." 



" Which way did you go then?" asked Jack, who had listened 

 with the attention of a man who knows every yard of the country. 



" Well," continued his lordship, casting back to where he got his 

 fall, " the fox crossed the Coatenburn township, picking all the plough 

 and bad-scenting ground as he went, but it was of no use, his fate 

 was sealed ; and though he began to run short, and dodge and thread 

 the hedge-rows, they hunted him yard by yard till he again made an 

 effort for his life, and took over Mossingburn Moor, pointing for Pen- 

 rose Tower on the hill. Here Frosty's horse, Little Jumper, de- 

 clined, and we left him standing in the middle of the moor with a 

 stiff neck, kicking and staring and looking mournfully at his flanks. 

 Daddy Longlegs, too, had begun to sob, and in vain I looked back in 

 hopes of seeing Jack-a-Dandy coming up: ' Well,' said I to myself, 

 1 I've got a pair of good strong boots on, and I'll finish the run on 

 foot but I'll see it ; ' when, just at the moment, the pack broke from 

 scant to view, and rolled the fox up like a hedge-hog amongst them." 



" Well done ! " exclaimed Jack, adding, " that was a run with a 

 vengeance ! " 



" Wasn't it ? " replied his lordship, rubbing his hands and stamp- 

 ing; "the finest run that ever was seen, — the finest run that ever 

 was seen ! " 



'■ Why, it couldn't be less than twelve miles from point to point," 

 observed Jack, thinking it over. 



" Not a yard," replied his lordship, " not a yard, and from four- 

 teen to fifteen as the hounds ran." 



¥ It would be all that," assented Jack. " How long'were you in 

 doing it ? " he asked. 



" An hour and forty minutes," replied his lordship ; " an hour 

 and forty minutes from the find to the finish ; " adding, " I'll stick 

 the brush and present it to Mrs. Spring-wheat." 



" It's to be hoped Springy's out of the brook," observed Jack. 



" To be hoped so," replied hi3 lordship ; thinking if he wasn't, 

 whether he should marry Mrs. Springwheat or not. 



Well, now, after all that, we fancy we hear our fair friends ex- 

 claim, " Thank goodness, there's an end of Lord Seamperdale and 

 his hunting ; he has had a good run, and will rest quiet for a time ; 

 we shall now hear something of Amelia and Emily, and the doings 

 at Jawleyford Court. Mistaken lady ! If you are lucky enough to 

 marry an out-and-out-fox-hunter, you will find that a good run is only 

 adding fuel to the fire, only making him anxious for more. Lord 

 Scamperdale's sporting fire wa3 in full blaze. His bumps and his 



