bs,
adding, in an undertone, 'the beggar doesn't think I've got him in spite of
him, though.'

'The horse,' Mr. Sponge continued, 'was an undeniable good 'un, and he
wished Mr. Pacey joy of his bargain.'

This venture having been so successful, others attempted similar means,
appointing Mr. Spraggon the arbitrator. Captain Guano challenged Mr. Fogo's
phaeton, while Mr. Fogo retaliated upon the captain's chestnut horse; but
the captain did not hold money to the award. Blossomnose challenged Mr.
Miller's pig; but the latter could not be induced to claim anything of the
worthy rector's for Mr. Spraggon to exercise his appraising talents upon.
After an evening of much noise and confusion, the wine-heated party at last
broke up--the staying company retiring to their couches, and the outlying
ones finding their ways home as best they could.

CHAPTER XLII

THE MORNING'S REFLECTIONS

When young Pacey awoke in the morning he had a very bad headache, and his
temples throbbed as if the veins would burst their bounds. The first thing
that recalled the actual position of affairs to his mind was feeling under
the pillow for his watch: a fruitless search that ended in recalling
something of the overnight's proceedings.

Pacey liked a cheap flash, and when elated with wine might be betrayed into
indiscretions that his soberer moments were proof against. Indeed, among
youths of his own age he was reckoned rather a sharp hand; and it was the
vanity of associating with men, and wishing to appear a match for them,
that occasionally brought him into trouble. In a general way, he was a very
cautious hand.

He now lay tumbling and tossing about in bed, and little by little he laid
together the outline of the evening's proceedings, beginning with his
challenging Mr. Sponge's chestnut, and ending with the resignation of his
watch and chain. He thought he was wrong to do anything of the sort. He
didn't want the horse, not he. What should he do with him? he had one more
than he wanted as it was. Then, paying for him seventy sovereigns! confound
it, it would be very inconvenient--_most_ inconvenient--indeed, he
couldn't do it, so there was an end of it. The facilities of carrying out
after-dinner transactions frequently vanish with the morning's sun. So it
was with Mr. Pacey. Then he began to think how to get out of it. Should he
tell Mr. Sponge candidly the state of his finances, and trust to his
generosity for letting him off? Wa