their design, they increased the trot to a canter. They soon passed the
park's bounds, and entering upon one of those rarities--an unenclosed
common, angled its limits so as to escape the side-bar, and turning up
Farningham Green lane, came out upon the Kingsworth and Swillingford
turnpike within sight of Hanby House.

'We'd better pull up and walk the horses gently in, p'raps,' observed
Sponge, reining his in.

'Ah! I was only wantin' to get home before the rest,' observed Jack,
pulling up too.

They then proceeded more leisurely together.

'We'd better get into one of our bedrooms to do it,' observed Jack, as they
passed the lodge. 'Just so,' replied Sponge, adding, 'I dare say we shall
want all the quiet we can get.'

'Oh no!' said Jack; 'the thing's simple enough--met at such a place--found
at such another--killed at so and so.'

'Well, I hope it will,' said Sponge, riding into the stable-yard, and
resigning his steed to the care of his groom.

[Illustration]

Jack did the same by Sponge's other horse, which he had been riding, and in
reply to Leather's inquiry (who stood with his right hand ready, as if to
shake hands with him), 'how the horse had carried him?' replied:

'Cursed ill,' and stamped away without giving him anything.

'Ah, _you're_ a gen'leman, you are,' muttered Leather, as he led the horse
away. 'Now, come!' exclaimed Jack to Sponge, 'come! let's get in before
any of those bothersome fellows come'; adding, as he dived into a passage,
'I'll show you the back way.'

After passing a scullery, a root-house, and a spacious entrance-hall, upon
a table in which stood the perpetual beer-jug and bread-basket, a green
baize door let them into the regions of upper service, and passing the
dashed carpets of the housekeeper's room and butler's pantry, a red baize
door let them into the far-side of the front entrance. Having deposited
their hats and whips, they bounded up the richly carpeted staircase to
their rooms.

Hanby House, as we have already said, was splendidly furnished. All the
grandeur did not run to the entertaining rooms; but each particular
apartment, from the state bedroom down to the smallest bachelor snuggery,
was replete with elegance and comfort.

Like many houses, however, the bedrooms possessed every imaginable luxury
except boot-jacks and pens that would write. In Sponge's room for instance,
there were hip-baths, and foot-baths, a shower-bath, and hot and cold baths
adjoini