232 MR. sponge's sporting tour. 



the manner in which he saluted the field. To a lord, he made a 

 sweep of his cap like the dome of St. Paul's ; a baronet came in for 

 about half as much ; a knight, to a quarter. Bragg had also a sort 

 of City or monetary tariff of politeness — a tariff that was oftener 

 called in requisition than the " Debrett " one, in Mr. Pumngton's 

 country. To a good " tip," he vouchsafed as much cap as he gave 

 to a lord ; to a middling " tip," he gave a sort of move that might 

 either pass for a touch of the cap or a more comfortable adjustment 

 of it to his head ; a very small " tip " had a forefinger to the peak; 

 while he who gave nothing at all got a good stare or a Good morn- 

 ing ! or something of that sort. A man watching the arrival of the 

 field could see who gave the fives, who the fours, who the threes, who 

 the twos, who the ones, and who were the great O's. 



But to our day with Mr. Pufimgton's hounds. 



Our over-night friends were not quite so brisk in the morning 

 as the servants and parties outside. Pufimgton's " mixture " told 

 upon a good many of them. Washball had a headache, so had Lump- 

 leg; Crane was seedy; and Captain Guano, sea-green. Soda-water 

 was in great request. 



There was a splendid breakfast, the table and sideboard looking as 

 if Fortnum and Mason or Morel had opened a branch establishment 

 at Hanby House. Though the staying guests could not do much 

 for the good things set out, they were not wasted, for the place was 

 fairly taken by storm shortly before the advertised hour of meeting ; 

 and what at one time looked like a most extravagant suppty, at another 

 seemed likely to prove a deficiency. Each man helped himself to 

 whatever he fancied, without waiting for the ceremony of an invita- 

 tion, in the usual style of fox-hunting hospitality. 



A few minutes before eleven, a " gently Bantaway," accompanied 

 by a slight crack of a whip, drew the seedy and satisfied parties to 

 the auriol window, to see Mr. Bragg pass along with his hounds. 

 They were just gliding noiselessly over the green sward, Mr. Bragg 

 rising in his stirrups, as spruce as a game-cock, with his thorough- 

 bred bay gambolling and pawing with delight at the frolic of the 

 hounds, some clustering around him, others shooting forward a little, 

 as if to show how obediently they would return at his whistle. Mr. 

 Bragg was known as the whistling huntsman, and was a great man 

 for telegraphing and signalising with his arms, boasting that he 

 could make hounds so handy that they could do everything, except 

 pay the turnpike-gates. At his appearance the men all began 

 to shuffle to the passage and entrance-hall, to look for their hats and 

 whips ; and presently there was a great outpouring of red coats upon 

 the lawn, all straddling and waddling of course. Then Mr. Bragg, 

 seeing an audience, with a slight whistle and waive of his right arm, 

 wheeled his forces round, and trotted gaily towards where our guests 

 had grouped themselves, within the light iron railing that separated 



