, as his lordship inspected the fine seal.

'Not far wrong,' replied his lordship. 'From a bitch of a fellow, at all
events,' said he, reading the words 'Hanby House' in the wax.

'What can old Puffey be wanting now?' inquired Jack.

'Some bother about hounds, most likely,' replied his lordship, breaking the
seal, adding, 'the thing's always amusing itself with playing at sportsman.
Hang his impudence!' exclaimed his lordship, as he opened the note.

'What's happened now?' asked Jack.

'How d'ye think he begins?' asked his lordship, looking at his friend.

'Can't tell, I'm sure,' said Jack, squinting his eyes inside out.

'Dear Scamp!' exclaimed his lordship, throwing out his arms.

'Dear Scamp!' repeated Jack in astonishment. 'It must be a mistake. It must
be dear Frost, not dear Scamp.'

'Dear Scamp is the word,' replied his lordship, again applying himself to
the letter. 'Dear Scamp,' repeated he, with a snort, adding, 'the impudent
button-maker! I'll dear Scamp him! "Dear Scamp, our friend Sponge!" Bo-o-y
the powers, just fancy that! 'exclaimed his lordship, throwing himself back
in his chair, as if thoroughly overcome with disgust. '_Our friend Sponge!_
the man who nearly knocked me into the middle of the week after next--the
man who, first and last, has broken every bone in my skin--the man who I
hate the sight of, and detest afresh every time I see--the 'bomination of
all 'bominations; and then to call him our friend Sponge! "Our friend
Sponge,"' continued his lordship, reading, '"is coming on a visit of
inspection to my hounds, and I should be glad if you would meet him."'

'Shouldn't wonder!' exclaimed Jack.

'_Meet him!_' snapped his lordship; 'I'd go ten miles to avoid him.'

'"Glad if you would meet him,"' repeated his lordship, returning to the
letter, and reading as follows: '"If you bring a couple of nags or so we
can put them up, and you may get a wrinkle or two from Bragg." A wrinkle or
two from Bragg! 'exclaimed his lordship, dropping the letter and rolling in
his chair with laughter. 'A wrinkle or two from Bragg!--he--he--he--he! The
idea of a wrinkle or two from Bragg!--haw--haw--haw--haw!

'That beats cockfightin',' observed Jack, squinting frightfully.

'Doesn't it?' replied his lordship. 'The man who's so brimful of science
that he doesn't kill above three brace of foxes in a season.'

'Which Puff calls thirty,' observed Jack.

'Th-i-r-ty!' exclaimed his lordship, adding, 'I'll lay