MR. sponge's SPORTING TOUR. 393 



in poor Wax's coat ; and there's Harry all legs and wings, as usual," 

 added she, as her husband -was seen flibberty-gibbertying it along. 



" And there's Lucy ; and where's Miss Howard, I wonder ? " 

 observed Orlando, straining his eyes after the scrambling field. 



Nothing but the inspiriting aid of " chumpine," and the hope that 

 the thing would soon terminate, sustained Mr. Watchorn under the 

 infliction in which he so unexpectedly found himself; for nothing 

 would have tempted him to brave such a frost with the burning scent 

 of a game four-legged fox. The park being spacious, and enclosed 

 by a high plank paling, he hoped the fox would have the manners to 

 confine himself within it ; and so long as his threadings and windings 

 favoured the supposition, our huntsman bustled along, yelling and 

 screaming in apparent ecstacy at the top of his voice. The hounds, 

 to be sure, wanted keeping together, for Frantic as usual had shot 

 ahead, while the gorged pig-pailers could never extricate themselves 

 from the ponies. 



" F-o-o-o-r-r-a-r-d ! f-o-o-o-r-r-a-r-d! f-o-o-o-r-r-a-r-d!" elon- 

 gated Watchorn, rising in his stirrups, and looking back with a grin 

 at George Cheek, who was plying his weed with the whip, exclaiming, 

 " Ah, you confounded young warmint, I'll give you a warmin' ! Ill 

 teach you to jaw about 'untin' ! " 



As he turned his head straight to look at his hounds, he was 

 shocked to see Frantic falling backwards from a first attempt to leap 

 the park palings, and just as she gathered herself for a second effort, 

 Desperate, Chatterer, and Galloper, charged in line and got over. 

 Theji came the general rush of the pack, attended with the usual 

 success — some over, some back, some a-top of others. 



" Oh, the devil ! ; ' exclaimed Watchorn, pulling up short in a 

 perfect agony of despair. " Oh, the devil ! " repeated he in a lower 

 tone, as Mr. Sponge approached. 



" Where's there a gate ? " roared our friend, skating up. 



" Gate ! there's never a gate within a mile, and that's locked," 

 replied Watchorn, sulkily. 



" Then here goes ! " replied Mr. Sponge, gathering the chestnut 

 together to give him an opportunity of purging himself of his pre- 

 vious faux pas. " Here goes ! " repeated he, thrusting his hard hat 

 firmly on his head. Taking his horse back a few paces, Mr. Sponge 

 crammed him manfully at the palings, and got over with a rap. 



" Well done you/' 1 exclaimed Miss Glitters in delight; adding 

 to Watchorn, " Now old Beardey, you go next." 



Beardey was irresolute. He pretended to be anxious to get the 

 tail hounds over. 



u Clear the way, then ! " exclaimed Miss Glitters, putting her 



horse back, her bright eyes flashing as she Bpoke. She took him 



back as far as Mr. Sponge had done, touched him with the whip, and 



in an instant she was high in the air, landing safely on the far side. 



17* 



