292 MR. sponge's sporting tour. 



Snobston Green, some eight or nine miles off, the next day, and 

 whither Mr. Sponge decided on going. 



Mr. Jogglebury's equanimity returning at dinner-time, Mr. Sponge 

 was persuasive enough to induce him to accompany him, and it was 

 finally arranged that Leather should go on with the horses, and Jog 

 should drive Sponge to cover in the phe-a-ton. 



CHAPTER XLYII. 



A FAMILY BREAKFAST ON A HUNTING MORNING. 



Mrs. Jogglebury Crowdey was a good deal disconcerted at Gus- 

 tavus James's irreverence to his intended godpapa, and did her best, 

 both by promises and entreaties, to bring him to a more becoming 

 state of mind. She promised him abundance of good things if he 

 would astonish Mr. Sponge with some of his wonderful stories, and 

 expatiated on Mr. Sponge's goodness in bringing him the nice com- 

 fits, though Mrs. Jogglebury could not but in her heart blame them 

 for some little internal inconvenience the wonder had experienced 

 during the night. However, she brought him to breakfast in pretty 

 good form, where he was cocked up in his high chair beside his 

 mamma, the rest of the infantry occupying the position of the pre- 

 vious day, all under good-behaviour orders. 



Unfortunately, Mr. Sponge, not having been able to get himself 

 up to his satisfaction, was late in coming down; and when he did 

 make his appearance, the unusual sight of a man in a red coat, a green 

 tie, a blue vest, brown boots, &c, completely upset their propriety, 

 and deranged the order of the young gentleman's performance. Mr. 

 Sponge, too, conscious that he was late, was more eager for his 

 breakfast than anxious to be astonished ; so, what with repressing 

 the demands of the youngster, watching that the others did not break 

 loose, and getting Jog and Mr. Sponge what they wanted, Mrs. 

 Crowdey had her hands full. At last, having got them set a-going, 

 she took a lump of sugar out of the basin, and showing it to the 

 wonder, laid it beside her plate, whispering, " Now, my beauty ! " into 

 his ear, as she adjusted him in his chair. The child, who had been 

 wound up like a musical snuff-box, then went off as follows : — 



" Bah, bah, back sheep, have 'ou any 'ool ? 

 Ess, marry, have I, three bags full ; 

 Un for ye master, un for ye dame, 

 Un for ye 'ittlc boy 'ot 'mis about ye 'aue." 



