364 MR. sponge's sporting tour. 



" Well, I think not either," replied Quod ; " I didn't like his 

 looks — he seems quite one of the free-and easy sort." 



" Quite," observed Seedeybuck, determined to make a set against 

 him, instead of cultivating his acquaintance. 



" This Mr. Sponge won't be any great addition to our party, I 

 think," muttered Captain Bouncey to Captain Cutitfat, as they stood 

 within the bay of the library window, in apparent contemplation of 

 the cows, but in reality conning the Sponge matter over in their 

 minds. 



" I think not," replied Captain Cutitfat, with an emphasis. 



" Wonder what made Sir Harry ask him ! " whispered Bouncey, 

 adding, aloud, for the bystanders to hear, — " That's a fine cow, 

 isn't it ? " 



" Very," replied Cutitfat in the same key, adding, in a whisper, 

 with a shrug of his shoulders ; " wonder what made him ask half the 

 people that are here ! " 



" The black and white one isn't a bad un," observed Bouncey, 

 nodding his head towards the cows, adding in an under tone; " most 

 of them asked themselves, I should think." 



" Admiring the cows, Captain Bouncey ? " asked the beautiful 

 and tolerably virtuous Miss Glitters, of the Astley's Royal Amphi- 

 theatre, who had come down to spend a few days with her old friend, 

 Lady Scattercash. " Admiring the cows, Captain Bouncey ? " asked 

 she, sidling her elegant figure between our friends in the bay. 



" We were just saying how nice it would be to have two or three 

 pretty girls, and a sillabub, under those cedars," replied Captain 

 Bouncey. 



" Oh, charming ! " exclaimed Miss Glitters, her dark eyes spark- 

 ling as she spoke. " Harriet ! " exclaimed she, addressing herself to 

 a young lady, who called herself Howard, but whose real name was 

 Brown — Jane Brown. — " Harriet ! " exclaimed she, " Captain Boun- 

 cey is going to give a, fete champHre under those lovely cedars." 



" Oh, how nice ! " exclaimed Harriet, clapping her hands in ecsta- 

 sies — theatrical ecstasies at least. 



" It must be Sir Harry," replied the billiard-table man, not fancy- 

 ing being " let in " for anything. 



" Oh ! Sir Harry will let us have anything we like, I'm sure," 

 rejoined Miss Glitters. 



" What is it (hiccup) ?" asked Sir Harry, who, hearing his name, 

 now joined the party. 



" Oh, we want you to give us a dance under those charming 

 cedars," replied the lady, looking lovingly at him. 



" Cedars ! " hiccuped Sir Harry, " where do you see any cedars ?" 



" Why there," replied Miss Glitters, nodding towards a clump of 

 evergreens. 



" Those are (hiccup) hollies," replied Sir Harry. 



