252 mr. sponge's sporting tour. 



buildings, and threading the strip of plantation by Bexley Burn, he 

 crossed Silverbury Green, leaving Longford Hutch to the right, and 

 passing straight on by the gibbet at Harpen. Here, then, the gallant 

 pack, breaking from scent to view, ran into their box in the open 

 close upon Mountnessing Wood, evidently his point from the first, and 

 into which a few more strides would have carried him. It was as fine 

 a run as ever was seen, and the grunting of the hounds was the admi- 

 ration of all who heard it. The distance could not have been less than 

 ten miles as a cow goes. The justly popular owner of this most cele- 

 brated pack, though riding good fourteen stones, led the Walters on 

 his famous chesnut horse Tappey Lappey. After this truly brilliant 

 affair, Mr. Puflmgton, like a thorough sportsman, and one who never 

 thrashes his hounds unnecessarily — unlike some masters who never 

 know when to leave off — returned to Hanby House, where a distin- 

 guished party of noblemen and gentlemen partook of his splendid hos- 

 pitality. 



And the considerate Bloomer added of her own accord, " We 

 hope we shall have to record many such runs in the imperishable 

 columns of our paper." 



CHAPTER XLI. 



A DINNER AND A DEAL. 



Another grand dinner, on a more extensive scale than its predeces- 

 sor, marked the day of this glorious run. 



" There's goin' to be a great blow out," observed Mr. Spraggon 

 to Mr. Sponge, as, crossing his hands and resting them on the 

 crown of his head, he threw himself back in his easy chair, to recruit 

 after the exertion of concocting the description of the run. " How 

 d'ye know ? " asked Sponge. 



" Saw by the dinner table as we passed," replied Jack ; adding, 

 " it reaches nearly to the door." 



" Indeed," said Sponge ; " I wonder who's coming ?" 



" Most likely Guano, again ; indeed, I know he is, for I asked his 

 groom if he was going home, and he said no ; and Lumpleg, you may 

 be sure, and possibly old Blossomnose, Slapp, and very likely, young 



Are they chaps with any ' go' in them ? — shake their elbows, or 

 anything of that sort?" asked Sponge, working away as if he had 

 the dice-box in his hand. 



" I hardly know," replied Jack, thoughtfully. " I hardly know. 



