MR. sponge's sporting tour. 389 



making much of the first-comers : " he-here, Galloper, old boy ! " con- 

 tinued he, diving into his coat-pocket, and throwing him a bit of 

 biscuit. The appearance of food had a very encouraging effect, for 

 forthwith there was a general rush towards Watchorn, and it was 

 only by rating and swinging his " whop" about that he prevented the 

 pack from pawing, and perhaps downing him. At length, having got 

 them somewhat tranquillised, he set off on his return to the stables, 

 coaxing the shy hounds, and rating and rapping those that seemed 

 inclined to break away. Thus he managed to march into the stable- 

 yard in pretty good order, just as the house party arrived in the 

 opposite direction, attired in the most extraordinary and incongruous 

 habiliments. There was Bob Spangles, in a swallow-tailed, mulberry- 

 coloured scarlet, that looked like an old pen-wiper, white duck 

 trousers, and lack-lustre Napoleon boots ; Captain Cutitfat, in a 

 smart new " Moses and Son's " straight-cut scarlet, with blood-hound 

 heads on the buttons, yellow-ochre leathers, and Wellington boots 

 with drab knee-caps ; little Bouncey in a tremendously baggy long- 

 backed scarlet, whose gaping outside-pockets showed that they had 

 carried its late owner's hands as well as his handkerchief; the clumsy 

 device on the tarnished buttons looking quite as much like sheep's- 

 heads as foxes'. Bouncey's tight tweed trousers were thrust into a 

 pair of wide fisherman's boots, which, but for his little roundabout 

 stomach, would have swallowed him up bodily. Captain Quod 

 appeared in a venerable dress-coat of the Melton Hunt, made in the 

 popular reign of Mr. ' Errington, whose much-stained and smeared 

 gilk facings bore testimony to the good cheer it had seen. As if 

 in contrast to the light airiness of this garment, Quod had on a 

 tremendously large shaggy brown waistcoat, with horn buttons, a 

 double tier of pockets, and a nick out in front. With an unfair 

 f partiality his nether man was attired in a pair of shabby old black, 

 or rather brown, dress trousers, thrust into long Wellington boots 

 with brass heel spurs. Captain Seedcybuck had on a spruce swallow- 

 tailed green coat of Sir Harry's, a pair of old tweed trousers of his 

 own, thrust into long chamois-leather opera-boots, with red morocco 

 tops, giving the whole a very unique and novel appearance. Mr. 

 Orlando Bugles, though going to drive with my lady, thought it 

 incumbent to put on his jack-boots, and appeared in kerseymere 

 shorts, and a highly frogged and furred blue frock-coat, with the 

 corner of a musked cambric kerchief acting the part of a star on his 

 breast. 



" Here comes old sixteen-string'd Jack ! " exclaimed Bob Spangles, 

 as his brother-in-law, Sir Harry, came hitching and limping along, 

 all strings, and tapes, and ends, as usual, followed by Mr. Sponge in 

 the strict and severe order of sporting costume ; double-stitr-hcd, back- 

 stitched, sleeve-strapped, pull-devil, pull-baker coat, broad corduroy 

 vest with fox-teeth buttons, still broader corded breeches, and the 



