mr. sponge's sporting tour. 195 



Before tliey had got any definite plan of proceeding arranged, 

 Mr. Sponge returned from the chase. 



" Ah, my dear sir ! " exclaimed Jawleyford, half gaily, half mood- 

 ily, extending a couple of fingers as Sponge entered his study ; " we 

 thought you had taken French leave of us, and were off." 

 Mr. Sponge asked if his groom had not delivered his note. 



" No," replied Jawleyford, boldly, though he had it in his pocket ; 

 " at least, not that I've seen. Mrs. Jawleyford, perhaps, may have 

 got it," added he. 



"Indeed! " exclaimed Sponge; "it was very idle of him." He 

 then proceeded to detail to Jawleyford what the reader already 

 knows, how he had lost his day at Larkhall Hill, and had tried to 

 make up for it by going to the cross-roads. 



" Ah ! " exclaimed Jawleyford, when he was done ; " that's a 

 pity — great pity — monstrous pity — never knew anything so unlucky 

 in my life." 



" Misfortunes will happen," replied Sponge, in a tone of un- 

 concern. 



" Ah, it wasn't so much the loss of the hunt I was thinking of," 

 replied Jawleyford, " as the arrangements we have made in conse- 

 quence of thinking you were gone." 



" What are they ? " asked Sponge. 



" Why, my Lord Barker, a great friend of ours — known him 

 from a boy — just like brothers, in short — sent over this morning to 

 ask us all there — shooting party, charades, that sort of thing — and 

 we accepted." 



"But that need make no difference," replied Sponge; "I'll go 

 too." 



Jawleyford was taken aback. He had not calculated upon so 

 much coolness. 



" Well," stammered he, " that might do, to be sure ; but — if — I'm 

 not quite sure that I could take any one " 



" But if you're as thick as you say, you can have no difficulty," 

 replied our friend. 



"True," replied Jawleyford; "but then we go a large party 

 ourselves — two and two's four," said he, " to say nothing of servants ; 

 besides, his lordship mayn't have room — house will most likely be full." 



" Oh, a single man can always be put up ; shake down — anything 

 does for him," replied Sponge. 



" But you would lose your hunting," replied Jawleyford. " Bark- 

 ington Tower is quite out of Lord Scamperdale's country." 



"That doesn't matter," replied Sponge; adding, " I don't think 

 I'll trouble his lordship much more. These Flat Hat gentlemen are 

 not over and above civil, in my opinion." 



"Well," replied Jawleyford, nettled at this thwarting of bis 

 attempt, " that's for your consideration. However, as you've come ? 



