could not beat Mr.
Buckram's men, because they were always on the look-out for objects of
contention with sharp spur rowels, ready to let into his sides the moment
he began to stop; but a weak or a timid man on his back had no more chance
than he would on an elephant. If the horse chose to carry him into the
midst of the hounds at the meet, he would have him in--nay, he would think
nothing of upsetting the master himself in the middle of the pack. Then the
provoking part was, that the obstinate animal, after having done all the
mischief, would just set to to eat as if nothing had happened. After
rolling a sportsman in the mud, he would repair to the nearest hay-stack or
grassy bank, and be caught. He was now ten years old, or a _leetle_ more
perhaps, and very wicked years some of them had been. His adventures, his
sellings and his returning, his lettings and his unlettings, his bumpings
and spillings, his smashings and crashings, on the road, in the field, in
single and in double harness, would furnish a volume of themselves; and in
default of a more able historian, we purpose blending his future fortune
with that of 'Ercles,' in the service of our hero Mr. Sponge, and his
accomplished groom, and undertaking the important narration of them
ourselves.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER IV

LAVERICK WELLS

We trust our opening chapters, aided by our friend Leech's pencil, will
have enabled our readers to embody such a Sponge in their mind's eye as
will assist them in following us through the course of his peregrinations.
We do not profess to have drawn such a portrait as will raise the same sort
of Sponge in the minds of all, but we trust we have given such a general
outline of style, and indication of character, as an ordinary knowledge of
the world will enable them to imagine a good, pushing, free-and-easy sort
of man, wishing to be a gentleman without knowing how.

Far more difficult is the task of conveying to our readers such information
as will enable them to form an idea of our hero's ways and means. An
accommodating world--especially the female portion of it--generally
attribute ruin to the racer, and fortune to the fox-hunter; but though Mr.
Sponge's large losses on the turf, as detailed by him to Mr. Buckram on the
occasion of their deal or 'job,' would bring him in the category of the
unfortunates; still that representation was nearly, if not altogether,
fabulous. That Mr. Sponge might have lost a trifle on