230 mp.. sponge's sporting tour. 



proud of his leg, sported the uniform of the Muffington Hunt — a pea- 

 green coat lined with yellow, and a yellow collar, white short3 with 

 gold garters, and black silk stockings. 



Spraggon had been obliged to put up with Lord Scamperdale's 

 second-best coat, his lordship having taken the best one himself; but 

 it was passable enough by candle-light, and the seediness of the blue 

 cloth was relieved by a velvet collar and a new set of the Flat Hat 

 Hunt buttons. Mr. Sponge wore a plain scarlet with a crimson 

 velvet collar, and a bright fox on the frosted ground of a gilt button, 

 with tights as before ; and when Mr. Crane arrived he was found to 

 be attired in a dress composed partly of Mr. Puffington's, and partly 

 of the Muggeridge Hunt uniform — the red coat of the former sur- 

 mounting the white shorts and black stockings of the other. Alto- 

 gether, however, they were uncommonly smart, and it is to be hoped 

 that they appreciated each other. 



The dinner was sumptuous. Puff, of course, was in the chair ; 

 and Captain Guano coming last into the room, and being very fond 

 of office, was vice. When men run to the "noble science " of gas- 

 tronomy, they generally outstrip the ladies in the art of dinner- 

 giving, for they admit of no makeweight, or merely ornamental dishes, 

 but concentrate the cook's energies on sterling and approved dishes. 

 Everything men set on is meant to be eat. Above all, men are not 

 too fine to have the plate-warmer in the room, the deficiency of hot 

 plates proving fatal to many a fine feast. It was evident that Puff 

 prided himself on his table. His linen was the finest and whitest, his 

 glass the most elegant and transparent, his plate the brightest, and 

 his wines the most costly and recherche. Like many people, however, 

 who are not much in the habit of dinner-giving, he was anxious and 

 fussy, too intent upon making people comfortable to allow of their 

 being so, and too anxious to get victuals and drink down their throats 

 to allow of their enjoying either. 



He not only produced a tremendous assortment of wines — Hock, 

 Sauterne, Champagne, Barsack, Burgundy, but descended into endless 

 varieties of sherries and Madeiras. These he pressed upon people, 

 always insisting that the last sample was the best. 



In these hospitable exertions Puffington was ably assisted by Cap- 

 tain Guano, who, being fond of wine, came in for a good quantity ; 

 first of all by asking every one to take wine with him, and then in 

 return every one asking him to do the same with them. The present 

 absurd non-asking system was not then in vogue. The great cap- 

 tain, noisy and talkative at all times, began to be boisterous almost 

 before the cloth was drawn. 



Puffington was equally promiscuous with his after-dinner wines. 

 He had all sorts of clarets, and " curious old ports." The party did 

 not seem to have any objection to spoil their digestions for the next 

 day, and took whatever he produced with great alacrity. Lengthened 



