Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour

a sort of suppressed joy, a deadly liveliness in the field. Those in the secret are afraid of praising it too much, lest the secret should ooze out, and strangers suppose t

an old donkey of a deer handed ba

on soon exhausted what the

o Mr. Sponge, as the latter, on the strength of the mu

sweat from his shoulder and neck; 'I think he is; I like him

les, taking a scented cigar from his mouth, a

onge. 'He belonged to Lord Bullfrog, who d

who had now ridden up on the other side of his gre

ed Mr. Sponge; 'ri

aimed Thornton, who wa

erved Mr. Sponge, drawing the curb slightly so as to show the horse's fine arched

nton, now bent on a toadying mat

tion was the better part of valour, had pulled up on seeing his comrade Thornton b

nd his action, very likely as much for want of something to say, or to ke

r. Sponge had played this game so very often, that it came quite natural to him. He knew exactly how far to go, and having expressed his previous objec

th an innocent penchant for play, or the turf, or for buying pictures, or for collecting china, or for driving coaches and four, all of which tastes pro

e hear fellows flashing and talking in hundreds and thousands, who will do almost anything for a five-pound note. We have known men pretending to hunt countries at their own exp

hornton's trade. He was always lurking about people's stables talking to grooms and worming out secrets-whose horse had a cough, whose was a wind-sucker, whose was lame aft

e insisted on Caingey dividing whatever he got out of his master with him. This reduced profits considerably; but still, as it was a profession

e home with the hounds, Thornton had no d

ero when they met at the News'-room the next day-'you'll not think me impertinent, I hope; but I thi

th apparent surprise; 'I think

oined Mr. Thornton, 'but you said you

of the sort; but he carried me so well that I thought better of him. The fact was,' continued Mr. Spon

ton; 'most people think a li

oo much of what I call an old man's horse, for me. Bullfrog, whom I bought him of, is very fat-eats a great deal of venison and turtle-all sort

orse,' observe

for him-two hundred and fifty golden sovereigns, and not a

e of your tight-laced dons, who take offence at the mere mention of 'drawbacks,' but, on the con

to let me know,' observed Mr. Thornton; adding, 'he's not for myself, of course, but I t

'if I were to sell him, I wouldn't take a farthing under th

m of money,' obse

a great deal more. Indeed, I haven't said, mind that, I'll t

replied M

Indeed he has no business out of Leicestershire; and I d

my friend into giving what y

y." Only mind ye, if I ride him again, and he carries me as he did yesterday, I shall clap on another fifty. A horse of that figure c

asuring that fact up as an additio

able gentl