396 



" Oli, you confounded brown-bouted beggar ! " exclaimed Mr. 

 Watchorn, returning bis born to bis case, and eyeing Mr. Sponge 

 and Miss Glitters sailing away with the again breast-bigb-scent pack. 

 " Ob, you exorbitant usurer ! " continued be, gathering bis borse to 

 skate after them. " Well now, that's the most disgraceful proceedin' 

 I ever saw in the whole course of my life. Hang me, if I'll stand 

 such work ! Dash me, but I'll 'quaint the Queen ! — I'll tell Sir 

 George Grey ! I'll write to Mr. Walpole ! Fo-orrard! fo-orrard! " 

 hallooed be, as Bob Spangles and Bouncey popped upon him unex- 

 pectedly from behind, exclaiming with well-feigned glee, as he pointed 

 to the streaming pack with his whip, " 'Ord dash it, but we're in for 

 a good thing ! " 



Little Bouncey's horse was still yawning and star-gazing, and 

 Bouncey being quite unequal to riding him and well-nigh exhausted, 

 " downed " him against a rubbing-post in the middle of afield, making 

 a "cannon" with his own and his horse's head, and was immediately 

 the centre of attraction for the panting tail. Bouncey got near a 

 pint of sherry from among them before he recovered from the shock. 

 So anxious were they about him, that not one of them thought 

 of resuming the chase. Even the lagging whips couldn't leave 

 him. George Cheek was presently hors de combat in a hedge, and 

 Watchorn seeing him " see-sawing," exclaimed as he slipped through 

 a gate, 



" I'll send your mar to you, you young 'umbug." 



"Watchorn would gladly have stopped too, for the fumes of the 

 champagne were dead within him, and the riding was becoming every 

 minute more dangerous. He trotted on, hoping each jump of brown 

 boots would be the last, and inwardly wishing the wearer at the devil. 

 Thus he passed through a considerable extent of country, over Har- 

 rowdale Lordship, or reputed Lordship, past Boundington Tower, 

 down Sloppyside Banks, and on to Cheeseington Green ; the sever- 

 ity of his affliction being alone mitigated by the intervention of ac- 

 commodating roads and lines of field gates. These, however, Mr. 

 Sponge generally declined, and went crashing on, now over high 

 places, now over low, just as they came in his way, closely followed 

 by the fair Lucy Glitters. 



" Well, I never see'd sich a man as that ! " exclaimed Watchorn, 

 eyeing Mr. Sponge clearing a stiff flight of rails, with a gap near at 

 hand. " ]S T or woman noutber ! " added he, as Miss Glitters did the 

 like. " Well, I'm dashed if it arn't dangerous ! " continued be, 

 thumping his hand against his thick thigh, as the white nearly slipped 

 upon landing. F-o-r-r-ard ! for-rard ! hoop / " screeched be, as 

 be saw Miss Glitters looking back to see where he was. " F-o-r-rard! 

 for-rard!" repeated he ; adding in apparent delight, " My eyes, but 

 we're in for a stinger ! Holdup, horse! " roared lie, as his borse now 

 went starring up to the knees through a long sheet of ice, squirting 



