mil sponge's sporting tour. 259 



he called " fly." " Well, then, I challenge your chestnut ! " exclaimed 

 he, perking up, and shouting up the table to Sponge. 



l - Clood ! " replied our friend. I challenge your watch and chain, 

 then," looking at Pacey's chain- daubed vest. 



" Name me arbitrator," muttered Jack, as he again stooped for his 

 napkin. 



" Who shall handicap us ? Captain Guano, Mr. Lumpleg, or 

 who ? " asked Sponge. 



" Suppose we say Spraggon? — he says he rode the horse to-day," 

 replied Pacey. 



" Quite agreeable," said Sponge. 



"Now, Jack!" "Now, Spraggon!" "Now, old Solomon!" 

 " Now, Doctor Wiseman," resounded from different parts of the 

 table. 



Jack looked solemn ; and diving both hands into his breeches 

 pockets, stuck out his legs extensively before him. 



" Give me money," said he, pompously. They each handed him 

 half-a-crown ; and Jack added a third for himself. "Mr. Pacey 

 challenges Mr. Sponge's chestnut horse, and Mr. Sponge challenges 

 Mr. Pacey's gold watch," observed Jack, sententiously. 



" Come, old Slowman, go on! " exclaimed Guano; adding, " have 

 you got no further than that ? " 



" Hurry no man's cattle," replied Jack, tartly ; adding, " you may 

 keep a donkey yourself some day." 



'• Mr. Pacey challenges Mr. Sponge's chestnut horse," repeated 

 Jack. " How old is the chestnut, Mr. Sponge ? " added he, address- 

 ing himself to our friend. 



" Upon my word I hardly know," replied Sponge, " he's past 

 mark of mouth ; but I think a hunter's age has very little to do with 

 his worth." 



" Who-y, that depends," rejoined Jack, blowing out his cheeks, 

 and looking as pompous as possible — " that depends a good deal upon 

 how he's been used in his youth." 



" He's about nine, I should say," observed Sponge, pretending 

 to have been calculating, though, in reality, he knew nothing what- 

 ever about the horse's age. ' Say nine, or rising ten, and never did 

 a day's work till he was six." 



" Indeed ! " said Jack, with an important bow ; adding, " being 

 easy with them at the beginnin' puts on a deal to the end. Perfect 

 hunter, I 'spose ? " 



" Why, you can judge of that yourself," replied Sponge. 



" Perfect hunter, / should say," rejoined Jack, " and steady at 

 his fences — don't know that I ever rode a better fencer. Well," con- 

 tinued he, having apparently pondered all that over in his mind, " I 

 must trouble you to let me look at your ticker," said he, turning 

 short round on his neighbour. 



