MR. sponge's SPORTING TOUR. 383 



" 'Ow is't possible, Sir 'Arry," asked tlie huntsman, '"ow is't 

 possible ? No man's fonder of 'untin' than I am, but to turn out on 

 such a day as this would be a daring — a desperate violation of all 

 the laws of registered propriety. The Pope's bull would be nothin' 

 to it ! " 



" How so? " asked Sir Harry, puzzled with the jumble. 



" How so ? " repeated Watchorn ; " how so ? Why, in the fust 

 place, it's a mortal hard frost, 'arder nor hiron ; in the second place, 

 I've got no arrangements made, — you can't turn out a pack of 'igh- 

 bred fox'ounds as you would a lot of ' staggers ' or ' muggers ; ' and, 

 in the third place, you'll knock all your nags to bits, and they are a 

 deal better in their wind than they are on their legs, as it is. No, 

 Sir 'Arry — no," continued he slowly and thoughtfully. " No, Sir 

 'Arry, no. Be Cardinal Wiseman, for once, Sir 'Arry ; be Cardinal 

 Wiseman for once, and don't think of it." 



" Well," replied Sir Harry, looking at George Cheek, " I suppose 

 there's no help for it." 



" It was quite a thaw where I came from," observed Cheek, half 

 to Sir Harry and half to the huntsman. 



" 'Deed, sir, 'deed," replied Mr. Watchorn, with a chuck of his 

 fringed chin, " it generally is a thaw everywhere but where hounds 

 meet." 



" My Uncle Jellyboy wouldn't be stopped by such a frost as this," 

 observed Cheek. 



" 'Deed, sir, 'deed," replied Watchorn, " your Uncle Jellyboy 's 

 a very fine feller, I dare say, — very fine feller; no such conju- 

 rors'in these parts as he is. What man dare, I dare; he who 

 dares more, is no man," added Watchorn, giving his fat thigh a 

 hearty slap. 



" Well done, old Talliho ! " exclaimed Miss Glitters. " We'll 

 have 1 you on the stage next." 



" What will you wet your whistle with, after your fine speech ? " 

 asked Lady Scattercash. 



" Take a tumbler of chumpine, if there is any," replied Watch- 

 orn, looking about for a long-necked bottle. 



" Fear you'll come on badly," observed Captain Seecleybuck, 

 holding up an empty one, " for Bouncey and I have just finished the 

 last; " the captain chucking the bottle sideways on to the floor, and 

 rolling it towards its companions in the corner. 



" Have a fresh bottle," suggested Lady Scattercash, drawing the 

 bell-string at her chair. 



" Champagne," said her ladyship, as the footman answered the 

 summons. 



" Two on 'em ! " exclaimed Captain Bouncey. 



" Three/ " shouted Sir Harry. 



" We'll have a regular set-to," observed Miss Howard, who was 

 fond of champagne. 



