324 MR. sponge's sporting tour. 



" Have you (hiccup) ? I'm glad of it (hiccup). Pray have some- 

 thing to (hiccup) after it; you must be (hiccup)." 



" Let me help you to some of this cold round of beef? " exclaimed 

 Captain Bouncey, brandishing the great broad-bladed carving-knife. 



" Have a slice of 'ot 'am," suggested Captain Quod. 



" The finest run I ever rode i " observed Mr. Sponge, still en- 

 deavouring to get a hearing. 



" Dare say it would," replied Sir Harry; " those (hiccup) hounds 

 of mine are uncommon (hiccup)." He didn't know what they were, 

 and the hiceup came very opportunely. 



" The pace was terrific ! " exclaimed Sponge. 



" Dare say it would," replied Sir Harry ; "and that's what makes 

 me (hiccup) you're so (hiccup). Pea, here, has some rare old October, 

 — (hiccup) bushels to the (hiccup) hogshead." 



" It's capital ! " exclaimed Captain Seedybuck. frothing himself a 

 tumblerful out of the tall brown jug. 



" So is this," rejoined Captain Quod, pouring himself out a liberal 

 allowance of gin. 



" That horse of mine carried me iiAGnificently ! " observed Mr. 

 Sponge, with a commanding emphasis on the mag. 



"Dare say he would," replied Sir Harry; "he looked like a 

 (hiccup)er — a white 'un, wasn't he ? " 



" No; a broivn," replied Mr. Sponge, disgusted at the mistake. 



" Ah, well ; but there v:as somebody on a white," replied Sir 

 Harry. " Oh, — ah — yes, — it was old Bugles on my lady's horse. 

 By the (hiccup) way (hiccup), gentlemen, what's got Mr. Orlando 

 (hiccup) Bugles ? " asked Sir Harry, staring wildly round. 



"Oh! old Bugles! old Pad-the-Hoof ! old Mr. Funker ! the 

 horse frightened him so, that he went home crying," replied Bob 

 Spangles. 



" Hope he didn't lose him ? " asked Sir Harry. 



" Oh, no," replied Bob ; " he gave a lad a shilling to lead him, 

 and they trudged away very quietly together." 



" The old (hiccup) ! " exclaimed Sir Harry ; " he told me he was 

 a member of the Surrey something." 



" The Sorry Union," replied Captain Quod. " He ivas out with 

 them once, and fell on his head and knocked his hat-crown out." 



" Well, but I was telling you about the ran," interposed Mr. 

 Sponge, again endeavouring to enlist an audience. " I was telling 

 you about the run," repeated he. 



" Don't trouble yourself, my dear sir," interrupted Captain 

 Bouncey ; " we know all about it — found — checked — killed, killed — 

 found — checked." 



" You canH know all about it ! " snapped Mr. Sponge ; " for there 

 wasn't a soul there but myself, much to my horror, for I had a reg'lar 

 row with old Scamperdale, and never a soul to back me." 



