MR. sponge's SPORTING TOUR. 369 



physic, or something most dreadful ! " at length exclaimed he, 

 squeezing up his face as if in the greatest agony, as the la- 

 boured — 



" Jump about and -wheel about " 



completely threw Sponge over in his calculation as to what he could 

 ride from Aldgate Pump to the Pied Bull at Islington for. 



" Oh, no ! " replied Facey, with an air of indifference, as he took 

 off the end and jerked out the steam. " Oh, no — only wants work — 

 • — only wants work," added he, putting it together again, ex- 

 claiming, as he looked at the now sulky Sponge, " What shall it 

 be?" 



" Whatever yon please," replied our friend, dipping frantically 

 into his Mogg. 



" Well, then, I'll play you me oncle's favourite tune, ' The Merry 

 Swiss Boy,' " whereupon Facey set to most vigorously with that once 

 most popular air. It, however, came off as rustily as " Jim Crow," 

 for whose feats Facey evidently had a partiality ; for no sooner did 

 he get squeaked through " me oncle's " tune than he returned to the 

 nigger melody with redoubled zeal, and puffed and blew Sponge's 

 calculations as to what he could ride from " Mother Redcap's " at 

 Camden Town down Liquorpond Street, up Snow Hill, and so on, to 

 the " Angel " in Ratcliffe Highway for, clean out of his head. Nor 

 did there seem any prospect of relief, for no sooner did Facey get 

 through one tune than he at the other again. 



"Jtot it ! " at length exclaimed Sponge, throwing his " Mogg " 

 from him in despair, " you'll deafen me with that abominable noise." 



" Bless my heart ! " exclaimed Facey, in well-feigned surprise, 

 "Bless my heart! Why, I thought you liked music, my dear feller; " 

 adding, " I was playin' to please you." 



" The deuce you were ! " snapped Mr. Sponge, " I wish I'd known 

 sooner : I'd have saved you a deal of wind." 



" Why, my dear feller," replied Facey, " I wished to entertain 

 you the best in my power. One must do somethin', you know." 



" I'd rather do anything than undergo that horrid noise," replied 

 Sponge, ringing his left ear with his fore-finger. 



" Let's have a game at cards, then," rejoined Facey, soothingly, 

 seeing he had sufficiently agonised Sponge. 



" Cards," replied Mr. Sponge. ' " Cards," repeated he, thought- 

 fully, stroking his hairy chin. " Cards," added he, for the third 

 time, as he conned Facey's rotund visage, and wondered if he was a 

 sharper. If the cards were fair, Sponge didn't care trying his luck. 

 It all depended upon that. " Well," said he, in a tone of indiffer- 

 ence, as he picked up his " Mogg," thinking ho wouldn't pay if he 

 lost, " I'll give you a turn. What shall it be ? " 

 16* 



