346 MR. sponge's sporting tour. 



" You'll 'ave to crawl if you ride 'Ercles," observed Leather, "if 

 not walk. Bless you ! I've been a nussin' of hhn and the 'ack most 

 the 'ole night." 



" Indeed ! " replied Mr. Sponge, who began to be alarmed lest 

 his hunting might be brought to an abrupt termination. 



" True, as I'm 'ere," rejoined Leather. " He's just as much off 

 his grub as he vos when he come'd in ; never see'd an 'oss more reg- 



'larly dished — more " 



"Well, well," said Mr. Sponge, interrupting the catalogue of 

 grievances ; " I s'pose I must do as you say — I s'pcse I must do as 

 you say : what sort of a day is it ? " 



" Vy, the day's not a bad day ; at least, that's to say, it's not a 

 wery haggrivatin' day. I've seen a betterer day, in course ; but I've 

 also seen many a much worser day, and days at this time of year, 

 you know, are apt to change, — sometimes, in course, for the betterer 

 — sometimes, in course, for the worser." 



" Is it a frost ? " snapped Mr. Sponge, tired of his loquacity. 

 "Is it a frost?" repeated Mr. Leather, thoughtfully; "is it a 

 frost? Vy, no; I should say it isn't a frost, — at least, not a frost 

 to 'urt ; there may be a little rind on the ground and a little rawness 



in the hair, but the general concatenation " 



"Hout, tout/ " exclaimed Mr. Sponge, "let's have none of your 

 dictionary words. 



Mr. Leather stood silent, twisting his hat about. 

 The consequence of all this was, that Mr. Sponge determined to 

 ride over to Nonsuch House to breakfast, which would give his horse 

 half an hour in the stable to eat a feed of corn. Accordingly, he 

 desired Leather to bring him his shaving-water, and have the horse 

 ready in the stable in half an hour, whither, in due time, Mr. Sponge 

 emerged by the back door, without encountering any of the family. 

 The ambling piebald looked so crestfallen and woe-begone in all the 

 swaddling-clothes in which Leather had got him enveloped, that 

 Mr. Sponge did not care to look at the gallant Hercules, who occu- 

 pied a temporary loose box at the far end of the dark stable, lest he 

 might look worse. He, therefore, just mounted Multum-in-Parvo as 

 Leather led him out at the door, and set off without a word. 



" Well, hang me but you are a good judge of weather," exclaimed 

 Sponge to himself, as he got into the field at the back of the house, 

 and found the horse made little impression on the grass. " No 

 frost / " repeated he, breathing into the air ; " why, it's freezing 

 now, out of the sun." 



On getting into Marygold Lane our friend drew rein, and was 

 for turning back, but the resolute chestnut took the bit between his 

 teeth and shook his head, as if determined to go on. 



" Oh, you brute ! " growled Mr. Sponge, letting the spurs into 

 his sides with a hearty good-will, which caused the animal to kick, 



