374 MR. sponge's sporting tour. 



" Who's that with his nasty nob on my fine satin sofa ? " asked 

 the lady. 



" Bob Spangles," replied Seedeybuck. 



" Nothing of the sort," rejoined the lady; " and I'll trouble you 

 to get off." 



" Can't — I've got a bone in my leg," rejoined the captain. 



" I'll soon make you," replied her ladyship, seizing the squab, and 

 pulling it on to the floor. 



As the captain was scrambling up, in came Peter — one of the 

 wageless footmen — with candles, which having distributed equitably 

 about the room, he approached Lady Scattercash, and asked, in an 

 independent sort of way, what room Mr. Soapsuds was to have ? 



"Soapsuds! — Soapsuds! — that's not his name," exclaimed her 

 ladyship. 



" Sponge, you fool ! Soapey Sponge," exclaimed Cutitfat, who 

 had ferreted out Sponge's nomme de Londres. 



" He's not come, has he? " asked Miss Glitters, eagerly. 



" Yes, my lady — that's to say, miss," replied Peter. 



" Come, has he ! " chorused three or four voices. 



"Well, he must have a (hiccup) room," observed Sir Harry. 

 " The green — the one above the billiard-room will do," added he. 



"But /have that, Sir Harry," exclaimed Miss Howard. 



" Oh, it'll hold two well enough," observed Miss Glitters. 



" Then you can be the second," replied Miss Howard, with a toss 

 of her head. 



" Indeed ! " sneered Miss Glitters, bridling up. " I like that." 



" Well, but where's the (hiccup) man to be put ? " asked Sir 

 Harry. 



" There's Ladofwax's room," suggested her ladyship. 



" The captin's locked the door and taken the key with him," 

 replied the footman ; " he said he'd be back in a day or two." 



" Back in a (hiccup) or two ! " observed Sir Harry. " Where is 

 he gone ? " 



The man smiled. 



" Borrowed" observed Captain Quod, with an emphasis. 



"Indeed! " exclaimed Sir Harry; adding, "well, I thought that 

 was Nabbum's gig with the old grey." 



" He'll not be back in a hurry," observed Bouncey. " He'll bo 

 like the Boulogne gents, who are always going to England but 

 never go." 



" Poor Wax ! " observed Quod ; " he's a big fool, to give him 

 his due." 



" If you give him his due it's more than he gives other people, it 

 seems," observed Miss Howard. 



" Oh, fie, Miss H. ! " exclaimed Captain Seedeybuck. 



" Well, but the (hiccup) man must have a (hiccup) bed some- 



