234 mr. sponge's sporting tour. 



— the Duke, you know ; but he was bred by Fitzwilliam — by his 

 Singwell out of Darling, Singwell was by the Rutland Rallywood out 

 of Tavistock Rhapsody ; but to make a long story short, he's lineally 

 descended from the Beaufort Justice." 



" Indeed ! " exclaimed Jack, hardly able to contain himself; 

 " that's undeniable blood." 



" Well, I'm glad to hoar you say so ; " replied Puffington. " I'm 

 glad to hear you say so, for you understand these things — no man 

 better ; and I confess I've a warm side to that Beaufort Justice 

 blood." 



" Don't wonder at it," replied Jack, laughing his waistcoat strings 

 off. 



" The great Mr. Warde," continued Mr. Puffington, " who was 

 justly partial to his own sort, had never any objection to breeding 

 from the Beaufort Justice." 



" No, nor nobody else that knew what he was about," replied 

 Jack, turning away to conceal his laughter. 



" We should be moving, I think, sir," observed Bragg, anxious to 

 put an end to the conversation ; " we should be moving, I think, sir," 

 repeated he, with a rap of his forefinger against his cap peak. 

 " It's past eleven," added he, looking at his gold watch, and shutting 

 it against his cheek. 



" What do you draw first ? " asked Jack. 



" Draw — draw — draw," replied Puffington. " Oh, we'll draw 

 Rabbitborough Gorse — that's a new cover I've inclosed on my pro- 

 o-rperty." 



" Sc-e-e-use me, sir," replied Bragg, with a smile, and another rap 

 of the cap : " sc-e-e-use me, sir, but I'm going to Hollyburn Hanger 

 first." 



" Ah, well, Hollyburn Hanger," replied Puffington, complacently; 

 " either will do very well." 



If Puff had proposed Hollyburn Hanger, Bragg would have said 

 Rabbitborough Gorse. 



The move of the hounds caused a rush of gentlemen to their 

 horses, and there was the usual scramblings up, and fidgetings, and 

 f unkings, and Wio-tf-hayings and drawing of girths, and taking up of 

 curbs, and lengthening and shortening of stirrups. 



Captain Guano couldn't get his stirrups to his liking anyhow. 

 " 'Ord hang these leathers," roared he, clutching up a stirrup-iron; 

 " who the devil would ever have sent one out a huntin' with a pair 

 of new stirrup-leathers ? " 



" Hang you and the stirrup-leathers," growled the groom, as his 

 master rode away ; " you're always wantin' sumfin to find fault with. 

 I'm blowed if it arn't a disgrace to an oss to carry such a man," 

 added he, eyeing the chestnut fidgeting and wincing as the captain 

 worked away at the stirrups. 



