ting and the system of
kennel--a fourth, of the corn-laws--old Blossomnose, about tithes--Slapp,
about timber and water-jumping--Miller, about Collison's pills; and Guano,
about anything that he could get a word edged in about. Great, indeed, was
the hubbub. Gradually, however, as the evening advanced Pacey and Guano
out-talked the rest, and at length Pacey got the noise pretty well to
himself. When anything definite could be extracted from the mass of
confusion, he was expatiating on steeple-chasing, hurdle-racing, weights
for age, ons and offs clever--a sort of mixture of hunting, racing, and
'Alken.'

Sponge cocked his ear, and sat on the watch, occasionally hazarding an
observation, while Jack, who was next Pacey, on the left, pretended to
decry Sponge's judgement, asking _sotto voce_, with a whiff through his
nose, what such a Cockney as that could know about horses? What between
Jack's encouragement, and the inspiring influence of the bottle, aided by
his own self-sufficiency, Pacey began to look upon Sponge with anything but
admiration; and at last it occurred to him that he would be a very proper
subject to, what he called, 'take the shine out of.'

'That isn't a bad-like nag, that chestnut of yours, for the wheeler of a
coach, Mr. Sponge,' exclaimed he, at the instigation of Spraggon, to our
friend, producing, of course, a loud guffaw from the party.

'No, he isn't,' replied Sponge coolly, adding, 'very like one, I should
say.'

'Devilish _good_ horse,' growled Jack in Pacey's ear.

'Oh, I dare say,' whispered Pacey, pretending to be scraping up the orange
syrup in his plate, adding, 'I'm only chaffing the beggar.'

'He looks solitary without the coach at his tail,' continued Pacey, looking
up, and again addressing Sponge up the table.

'He does,' affirmed Sponge, amidst the laughter of the party.

Pacey didn't know how to take this; whether as a 'sell' or a compliment to
his own wit. He sat for a few seconds grinning and staring like a fool; at
last after gulping down a bumper of claret, he again fixed his unmeaning
green eyes upon Sponge, and exclaimed:

'I'll challenge your horse, Mr. Sponge.'

A burst of applause followed the announcement; for it was evident that
amusement was in store.

'You'll w-h-a-w-t?' replied Sponge, staring, and pretending ignorance.

'I'll challenge your horse,' repeated Pacey with confidence, and in a tone
that stopped the lingering murmur of conversation, and fixed th