350 mr. sponge's sporting tour. 



to hunt. I'll remember you for your trouble, if you will," added he, 

 again diving his hand up to the wrist in his pocket. 



" I tell you," replied the woman slowly and deliberately, "there'll 

 be no huntin' to-day. Huntin' ! " exclaimed she ; " how can they 

 hunt when they've all had to be carried to bed." 



" Carried to bed ! had they ? " exclaimed Mr. Sponge ; " what, 

 were they drunk ? " 



" Drunk ! ay, to be sure. What would you have them be ? " 

 replied the crone, who seemed to think that drinking was a necessary 

 concomitant of hunting. 



" Well, but I can see the footman or somebody, surely," observed 

 Mr. Sponge, fearing that his chance was out for a billet, and recol- 

 lecting all Jog's " Bartholo-m-e-ws / " and " Murry Anns ! " and 

 intimations for him to start. 



" 'Deed you can't," replied the dame — " ye can see nobody but 

 me," added she, fixing her twinkling eyes intently upon him as she 

 spoke. 



" Well, that's a pretty go," observed Mr. Sponge aloud to him- 

 self, ringing his spurs against his stirrup-irons. 



" Pretty go or ugly go," snapped the woman, thinking it was a 

 reflection on herself, " it's all you'll get ; " and thereupon she gave 

 the back of the chair a hearty bastinadoing, as if in exemplification 

 of the way she would like to serve Mr. Sponge out for the observa- 

 tion. 



" I came here thinking to get some breakfast," observed Mr. 

 Sponge, casting an eye upon the disordered table, and reconnoitring 

 the bottles and the remains of the dessert. 



" Did you," said the woman ; " I wish you may get it." 



" I wish I may," replied he. " If you would manage that for 

 me, just some coffee and a mutton chop or two, I'd remember you," 

 said he, still tantalising her with the sound of the silver in his 

 pocket. 



" Me manish it! " exclaimed the woman, her hopes again rising 

 at the sound ; " me manish it ! how d'ye think I'm to manish sich 

 things?" asked she. 



" Why, get at the cook, or the housekeeper, or somebody," re- 

 plied Mr. Sponge. 



" Cook or housekeeper ! " exclaimed she. " There'll be no cook 

 or housekeeper astir here these many hours yet ; I question," added 

 she, " they get up to-day." 



" What ! they've been put to bed too, have they ? " asked he. 



"W-h-yno — not zactly that," drawled the woman; "but when 

 sarvants are kept up three nights out of four, they must make up 

 for lost time when they can." 



"Well," mused Mr. Sponge, "this is a bother, at all events; 

 get no breakfast, lose my hunt, and perhaps a billet into the bargain. 



