whom I hunted a great deal many years ago, I'm sorry to say. The late
Mr. Warde, who, of course, was very justly partial to his own sort, had
never any objection to breeding from this _Beaufort_ Justice. He was of
Lord Egremont's blood, by the New Forest Justice; Justice by Mr. Gilbert's
Jasper; and Jasper bred by Egremont--" Oh, the hosier!' exclaimed his
lordship; 'he'll be the death of me.'

'Is that all?' asked Jack, as his lordship seemed lost in meditation.

'All?--no!' replied he, starting up, adding, 'here's something about you.'

'Me!' exclaimed Jack.

'"If Mr. Spraggon is with you, and you like to bring him, I can manage to
put him up too,"' read his lordship. 'What think you of that?' asked his
lordship, turning to our friend, who was now squinting his eyes inside out
with anger.

'Think of it!' retorted Jack, kicking out his legs--'think of it!--why, I
think he's a dim'd impittant feller, as Bragg would say.'

'So he is,' replied his lordship; 'treating my friend Jack so.'

'I've a good mind to go,' observed Jack, after a pause, thinking he might
punish Puff, and try to do a little business with Sponge. 'I've a good mind
to go,' repeated he; 'just by way of paying Master Puff off. He's a
consequential jackass, and wants taking down a peg or two.'

'I think you may as well go and do it,' replied his lordship, after
thinking the matter over; 'I think you may as well go and do it. Not that
he'll be good to take the conceit out of, but you may vex him a bit; and
also learn something of the movements of his friend Sponge. If he sarves
Puff out as he's sarved me,' continued his lordship, rubbing his ribs with
his elbows, 'he'll very soon have enough of him.'

'Well,' said Jack, 'I really think it will be worth doing. I've never been
at the beggar's shop, and they say he lives well.'

'_Well_, aye!' exclaimed his lordship; 'fat o' the land--dare say that man
has fish and soup every day.'

'And wax-candles to read by, most likely,' observed Jack, squinting at the
dim mutton-fats that Baggs now brought in.

'Not so grand as that,' observed his lordship, doubting whether any man
could be guilty of such extravagance; 'composites, p'raps.'

It being decided that Jack should answer Mr. Puffington's invitation as
well and saucily as he could, and a sheet of very inferior paper being at
length discovered in the sideboard drawer, our friends forthwith proceeded
to concoct it. Jack having at length got all squar