mr. sponge's SPORTING TOUR. 253 



Young Pacey, I think, might be made summut on ; but his uncle, 

 Major Screw, looks uncommon sharp arter him, and he's a minor." 



"Would he pay?" asked Sponge, who, keeping as he said, "no 

 books," was not inclined to do business on " tick." 



" Don't know," replied Jack, squinting at half-cock ; " don't know 

 — would depend a good deal, I should say, upon how it was done. 

 It's a deuced unhandsome world this. If one wins a trifle of a 

 youngster at cards, let it be ever so openly done, it's sure to say one's 

 cheated him, just because one happens to be a little older, as if the 

 age had anything to do with making the cards come right." 



" It's an ungenerous world," observed Sponge, " and it's no use 

 being abused for nothing. What sort of a genius is Pacey ? Is he 

 inclined to go the pace ? " 



" Oh, quite," replied Jack; "his great desire is to be thought a 

 sportsman." 



" A sportsman, or a sporting man ? " asked Sponge. 



" W-h-o-y ! I should say p'raps a sportin' man more than the 

 sportsman," replied Jack. " He's a great lumberin' lad, buttons his 

 great stomach into a Newmarket cut-away, and carries a betting-book 

 in his breast pocket." 



" Oh, he's a bettor, is he !" exclaimed Sponge, brightening up. 



" He's a raw poult of a chap," replied Jack ; " just ready for 

 anything — in a small way, at least — a chap that's always offering two 

 to one in half-crowns. He'll have money, though, and can't be far 

 off age. His father was a great spectacle-maker. You have heard 

 of Pacey's spectacles ? " 



" Can't say as how I have," replied Sponge ; adding, " they are 

 more in your line than mine." 



The further consideration of the youth was interrupted by the 

 entrance of a footman with hot water, who announced that dinner 

 would be ready in half an hour. 



" Who's there comin? " asked Jack. 



"Don't know 'xactly, sir," replied the man; " believe much the 

 same party as yesterday, with the addition of Mr. Pacey ; Mr. Miller, 

 of Newton; Mr. Fogo, of Bellevue; Mr. Brown, of the Hill; and 

 some others, whose names I forget." 



"Is Major Screw coming?" asked Sponge. 



" I rayther think not, sir. I think I heard Mr. Plummey, the 

 butler, say he declined." 



" So much the better," growled Jack, throwing off his purple- 

 lapped coat in commencement of his toilette. As the two dressed 

 they discussed the point how Pacey might be done. 



When our friends got down stairs it was evident there was a great 

 spread. Two red plushed footmen stood on guard in the entrance, 

 helping the arrivers out of their wraps, while a buzz of conversation 

 sounded through the partially-opened drawing-room door, as Mr. 



