' feet.

'Thank you, Mr. Brown Boots!' exclaimed his lordship, as, by dint of
bitting and spurring, Sponge at length worked the beast round, and came
sneaking back in the face of the whole field. 'Thank you, Mr. Brown Boots,'
repeated he, taking off his hat and bowing very low. 'Very much obl_e_ged
to you, Mr. Brown Boots. Most particklarly obl_e_ged to you, Mr. Brown
Boots,' with another low bow. 'Hang'd obl_e_ged to you, Mr. Brown Boots!
D--n you, Mr. Brown Boots!' continued his lordship, looking at Sponge as if
he would eat him.

'Beg pardon, sir,' blurted Sponge; 'my horse--'

'Hang your horse!' screamed his lordship; 'it wasn't your horse that headed
the fox, was it?'

'Beg pardon--couldn't help it; I--'

'Couldn't help it. Hang your helps--you're _always_ doing it, sir. You
could stay at home, sir--I s'pose, sir--couldn't you, sir? eh, sir?'

Sponge was silent.

'See, sir!' continued his lordship, pointing to the mute pack now following
the huntsman, 'you've lost us our fox, sir--yes, sir, lost us our
fox, sir. D'ye call that nothin', sir? If you don't, _I_ do, you
perpendicular-looking Puseyite pig-jobber! By Jove! you think because I'm a
lord, and can't swear, or use coarse language, that you may do what you
like--but I'll take my hounds home, sir--yes, sir, I'll take my hounds
home, sir.' So saying, his lordship roared HOME to Frostyface;
adding, in an undertone to the first whip, 'bid him go to Furzing-field
gorse.'

CHAPTER XXI

A COUNTRY DINNER-PARTY

[Illustration]

'Well, what sport?' asked Jawleyford, as he encountered his exceedingly
dirty friend crossing the entrance hall to his bedroom on his return from
his day, or rather his non-day, with the 'Flat Hat Hunt.'

'Why, not much--that's to say, nothing particular--I mean, I've not had
any,' blurted Sponge.

'But you've had a run?' observed Jawleyford, pointing to his boots and
breeches, stained with the variation of each soil.

'Ah, I got most of that going to cover,' replied Sponge; 'country's awfully
deep, roads abominably dirty!' adding, 'I wish I'd taken your advice, and
stayed at home.'

'I wish you had,' replied Jawleyford, 'you'd have had a most excellent
rabbit-pie for luncheon. However, get changed, and we will hear all about
it after.' So saying, Jawleyford waved an adieu, and Sponge stamped away in
his dirty water-logged boots.

'I'm afraid you are very wet, Mr. Sponge,' observed Amelia in the sweetest
tone, with