282 mr. sponge's sporting tour. 



occupied with wishing that there had been three haddocks instead of 

 two, and speculating whether Mrs. Crowdey would be more pleased 

 at the success of his mission, or put out of her way by Mr. Sponge's 

 unexpected coming. Above all, he had marked some very promising- 

 looking sticks — two blackthorns and a holly — to cut on his way home, 

 and he was intent on not missing them. So sudden was the jerk that 

 announced his coming on the first one, as nearly to throw the old 

 family horse on his knees, and almost to break Mr. Sponge's nose 

 against the brass edge of the cocked-up splash-board. Ere Mr. 

 Sponge recovered his equlibrium, the whip was in the case, the reins 

 dangling about the old screw's heels, and Mr. Crowdey scrambling 

 up a steep bank to where a very thick boundary-hedge shut out the 

 view of the adjacent country. Presently, chop, chop, chop, was 

 heard, from Mr. Crowdey's pocket axe, with a tug — wheeze— puff 

 from himself ; next a crash of separation ; and then the purple-faced 

 Mr. Crowdey came bearing down the bank dragging a great black- 

 thorn bush after him. 



"What have you got there?" inquired Mr. Sponge with surprise. 



" Grot ! (wheeze — puff — wheeze)," replied Mr. Crowdey, pulling 

 up short, and mopping his perspiring brow with a great claret-coloured 

 bandana. u Got ! I've (puff — wheeze) got what I (wheeze) think will 

 (puff) make a most elaborate and (wheeze) valuable walking-stick. 

 This, I (puff) think," continued he, eyeing the great ball with which 

 he had got it up, " will (wheeze) come in most valuably (puff) for my 

 great (puff — wheeze — gasp) national undertaking — the (puff) Kings 

 and (wheeze) Queens of Great Britain (gasp)." 



" What are they ? " asked Mr. Sponge, astonished at his vehe- 

 mence. 



" Oh! (puff — wheeze — gasp) haven't you heard ?" exclaimed Mr. 

 Jogglebury, taking off his great woolly hat, and giving his lank, dark 

 hair, streaked with grey, a sweep round his low forehead with the 

 bandana. " Oh ! (puff — gasp) haven't you heard ? " repeated he, 

 getting a little more breath. " I'm (wheeze) undertaking a series of 

 (gasp) sticks representing — (gasp) — immortalising, I may say (puff), 

 all the (wheeze) crowned heads of England (puff)." 



" Indeed ! " replied Mr. Sponge. 



" They'll be a most valuable collection (wheeze — puff)," continued 

 Mr. Jogglebury, still eyeing the knob. " This," added he, " shall be 

 William the Fourth." He then commenced lopping and docking the 

 sides, making Bartholomew Badger bury them in a sand-pit hard by, 

 observing in a confidential wheeze to Mr. Sponge, " that he had once 

 been county-courted for a similar trespass before." The top and lop 

 being at length disposed of, Mr. Crowdey grasping the club-end, 

 struck the other forcibly against the ground, exclaiming, " There! — 

 there's a (puff) stick ! Who knows what that (puff — wheeze) stick 

 may be worth some day ? " 



