280 mr. 



an imposing peal. Mr. Jogglebury sat wondering what was going to 

 happen, and thinking what a wigging he would get from Mrs. J. if 

 he didn't manage to shake off his friend. Above all, he recollected 

 that they had nothing but haddocks and hashed mutton for dinner. 



" Tell Leather I want him," said Mr. Sponge, in a tone of au- 

 thority, as the footman answered the summons ; then, turning to his 

 guest, as the man was leaving the room, he said, " Won't you take 

 something after your drive — cold meat, glass of sherry, soda-water, 

 bottled porter — anything in that line ? " 



In an ordinary way, Jogglebury would have said, " if you please," 

 at the sound of the words " cold meat," for he was a dead hand at 

 luncheon ; but the fix he was in completely took away his appetite, 

 and he sat wheezing and thinking whether to make another effort, or 

 to wait the arrival of Leather. 



Presently Leather appeared, jean-jacketed and gaitered, smoothing 

 his hair over his forehead, after the manner of the brotherhood. 



" Leather," said Mr. Sponge, in the same tone of importance, 

 " I'm going to this gentleman's : " for as yet he had not sufficiently 

 mastered the name to be able to venture upon it in the owner's 

 presence. " Leather, I'm going to this gentleman's, and I want you 

 to bring me a horse over in the morning ; or stay," said he, interrupt- 

 ing himself, and turning to Jogglebury, he exclaimed, " I dare say 

 you could manage to put me up a couple of horses, couldn't you ? 

 and then we should be all cosy and jolly together, you know." 



" 'Pon my word," gasped Jogglebury, nearly choked by the pro- 

 posal; " 'pon my word," I can hardly (puff) say, I hardly (wheeze) 

 know, but if you'll (puff — wheeze) allow me, I'll tell you what I'll 

 do : I'll (puff — wheeze) home, and see what I can (puff) do in the 

 way of entertainment for (puff — wheeze) man as well as for (puff — 

 wheeze) horse." 



" Oh, thank you, my dear fellow ! " exclaimed Sponge, seeing 

 the intended dodge ; " thank you, my dear fellow ! " repeated he ; 

 " but that's giving you too much trouble — far too much trouble ! — 

 couldn't think of such a thing — no, indeed, I couldn't. Til tell you 

 what we'll do — Til tell you what we'll do. You shall drive me over 

 in that shandrydan-rattle-trap thing of yours " — Sponge looking out 

 of the window, as he spoke at the queer-shaped, jumped-together, 

 lack-lustre-looking vehicle, with a turnover seat behind, now in charge 

 of a pepper-and-salt attired youth, with a shabby hat, looped up by a 

 thin silver cord to an acorn on the crown, and baggy Berlin gloves — 

 " and I'll just see what there is in the way of stabling; and if I think 

 it will do, then I'll give a boy sixpence or a shilling to come over to 

 Leather, here," jerking his head towards his factotum ; " if it won't 



do, why then " 



"We shall want three stalls, sir — recollect sir," interrupted 

 Leather, who did not wish to move his quarters. 



