MR. sponge's sporting tour. 387 



" Ah, well ! " said Watchorn, " that'll do — two legs are too 



many for some of the rips they'll have to carry . Let me see," 



continued he, thoughtfully, " I'll ride 'Arkaway." 



" Yes, sir," said Snaffle. 



" Sir 'Arry, It-me-'ard." 



11 Won't you put him on Sir-danapalis ? " asked Snaffle. 



" No," replied Watchorn, " no ; I wants to save the Bart. — I wants 

 to save the Bart. Sir 'Arry must ride It-me-'ard." 



" Is her ladyship going ? " asked Snaffle. 



" Her ladyship drives," replied Watchorn ; " and you, Snooks," 

 addressing a hare- armed helper, " tell Mr. Traces to turn her out a 

 pony-phaeton and pair, with fresh rosettes and all complete, you 

 know." 



" Yes sir," said Snooks, with a touch of his forelock. 



" And you'd better tell Mr. Leather to have a horse for his 

 master," observed Watchorn to Snaffle, " unless as how you wish to 

 put him on one of yours." 



" Not I," exclaimed Snaffle ; " have enough to mount without him. 

 D'ye know how many '11 be goin' ? " asked he. 



" No," replied Watchorn, hurrying off; adding as he went, " oh, 

 hang 'em, just saddle 'em all, and let 'em scramble for em." 



The scene then changed. Instead of hissing helpers pursuing their 

 vocations in stable or saddle-room, they began bustling about with 

 saddles on their heads and bridles in their hands, the day of expected 

 ease being changed into one of unusual trouble. Mr. Leather 

 declared, as he swept the clothes over Multum-in-Parvo's tail, that it 

 was the most unconscionable proceeding he had ever witnessed ; and 

 muttered something about the quiet comforts he had left at Mr. 

 Jogglebury Crowdey's, hinting his regret at having come to Sir 

 Harry's, in a sort of dialogue with himself as he saddled the horse. 

 The beauties of the last place always come out strong when a servant 

 gets to another. But we must accompany Mr. Watchorn. 



Though his early career with the Camberwell and Balham Hill 

 Union harriers had not initiated him much into the delicacies of the 

 chase, yet, recollecting the presence of Mr. Sponge, he felt suddenly 

 seized with a desire of " doing things as they should be ; " and he went 

 muttering to the kennel, thinking how he would leave Dinnerbell and 

 Prosperous at home, and how the pack would look quite as well 

 without Frantic running half a field ahead, or old Stormer and 

 Stunner bringing up the rear with long protracted howls. He 

 doubted, indeed, whether he would take Desperate^ who was on 

 incorrigible skirter ; but as she was not much worse in this respect 

 than Chatterer or Harmony, who was also an inveterate babbler, and 

 the pack would look rather short without them, he reserved the point 

 for further consideration, as the judges say. 



His speculations were interrupted. by arriving at the kennel; and, 



