ve ten or twelve miles for the morning; nothing for a hack
hunter; 'specially such a horse as that, and one that's done nothing for I
don't know how long.'

Altogether, Mr. Sponge determined to try it, especially considering that if
he didn't get Tuesday, there would be nothing till Thursday; and he was not
the man to keep a hack hunter standing idle.

Accordingly he sought Mr. Leather, whom he found busily engaged in the
servants' apartment, with a cold round of beef and a foaming flagon of ale
before him.

'Leather,' he said, in a tone of authority, 'I'll hunt to-morrow--ride the
horse I should have ridden to-day.'

'Where at?' asked Leather, diving his fork into a bottle of pickles, and
fishing out an onion.

'The cross-roads,' replied Sponge.

'The cross-roads be fifty miles from here!' cried Leather.

'Nonsense!' rejoined Sponge; 'I've just measured the distance. It's nothing
of the sort.'

'How far do you make it, then?' asked Leather, tucking in the beef.

'Why, from here to Hardington is about six, and from Hardington to Bewley,
four--ten in all,' replied Sponge. 'You can stay at Bewley all night, and
then it is but a few miles on in the morning.'

'And whativer am I to do for clothin'?' asked Leather, adding, 'I've
nothin' with me--nothin' nouther for oss nor man.'

'Oh, the ostler'll lend you what you want,' replied Sponge, in a tone of
determination, adding, 'you can make shift for one night surely?'

'One night surely!' retorted Leather. 'D'ye think an oss can't be ruined in
one night?--humph!'

'I'll risk it,' said Sponge.

'But I won't,' replied Leather, blowing the foam from the tankard, and
taking a long swig at the ale. 'I thinks I knows my duty to my gov'nor
better nor that,' continued he, setting it down. 'I'll not see his
waluable 'unters stowed away in pigsties--not I, indeed.'

The fact was. Leather had an invitation to sup with the servants at
Jawleyford Court that night, and he was not going to be done out of his
engagement, especially as Mr. Sponge only allowed him two shillings a day
for expenses wherever he was.

[Illustration: MR. LEATHER AND SPONGE HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION]

'Well, you're a cool hand, anyhow,' observed Mr. Sponge, quite taken by
surprise.

'Cool 'and, or not cool 'and,' replied Leather, munching away, 'I'll do my
duty to my master. I'm not one o' your coatless, characterless scamps wot
'ang about livery-stables ready to do anything they're bid. No s