422 MR. sponge's sporting tour. 



The minor casualties of those few butchering spasmodic moments 

 may be briefly dismissed, though they were more numerous than 

 most sportsmen see out hunting in a lifetime. 



One horse broke his back, another was drowned, Multum-in-Par- 

 vo was cut all to pieces, his rider had two ribs and a thumb broken, 

 while Farmer Slyfield's stack-yard was fired by some of the itinerant 

 tribe, and all its uninsured contents destroyed — so that his landlord 

 was not the only person that suffered by the grand occasion. 



Nor was this all, for Mr. Numboy, the coroner, hearing of Jack's 

 death, held an inquest on the body ; and, having empanneled a mat- 

 ter of-fact jury — men who did not see the advantage of steeple-chas- 

 ing, either in a political, commercial, agricultural, or national point 

 of view, and who, having surveyed the line, and found nearly every 

 fence dangerous, and the wall and brook doubly so, returned a verdict 

 of manslaughter against Mr. Viney for setting it out, who was forth- 

 with committed to the county gaol of Limbo Castle for trial at the 

 ensuing assizes, from whence let us join the benevolent clerk of ar- 

 raigns in wishing him a good deliverance. 



Many of the hardy " tips " sounded the loud trump of victory, 

 proclaiming that their innumerable friends had feathered their nests 

 through their agency ; but Peeping Tom, and Infallible Joe, and 

 Enoch Wriggle, the " offending soul," &c, found it convenient to 

 bolt from their respective establishments, carrying with them their 

 large fire-screens, camp-stools, and boards for posting up their lists, 

 and setting up in new names in other quarters ; while the Hen Angel 

 was shortly afterwards closed, and the presentation-tureen made into 

 "white soup." 



So much for the " small deer." We will now devote a concluding 

 chapter to the " great guns " of our story. 



CHAPTER LXX. 



HOW LORD SCAMPERDALE AND CO. CAME OFF. 



Our noble master's nerves were so dreadfully shattered by the 

 lamentable catastrophe to poor Jack, that he stepped, or rather was 

 pushed, into Jawleyford's carriage almost insensibly, and driven 

 from the course to Jawleyford Court. 



There he remained sufficiently long for Mrs. Jawleyford to per- 

 suade him that he would be far better married, and that either of 

 her amiable daughters would make him a most excellent wife. His 

 lordship, after very mature consideration, and many most scrutinising 



