for you, you know,' stammered Pacey.

'Oh, dash it, the chap's drunk,' growled Jack aloud to himself, adding to
Pacey, 'you shouldn't get up so soon, man--sleep the drink off.'

Pacey stood nonplussed.

'Don't you remember, Mr. Spraggon,' at last asked he, after watching the
tassel of Jack's cap peeping above the bedclothes, 'what took place last
night, you know? You asked me to get you Mr. Sponge's chestnut, and you
know I did, you know.'

'Hout, lad, disperse!--get out of this!' exclaimed Jack, starting his great
red face above the bedclothes and squinting frightfully at Pacey.

'Well, my dear friend, but you did,' observed Pacey soothingly.

'Nonsense!' roared Jack, again ducking under.

Pacey stood agape.

'Come!' exclaimed Jack, again starting up, 'cut your stick!--be off!--make
yourself scarce!--give your rags a gallop, in short!--don't be after
disturbin' a gen'leman of fortin's rest in this way.'

'But, my dear Mr. Spraggon,' resumed Pacey, in the same gentle tone, 'you
surely forget what you asked me to do.'

'_I do_,' replied Jack firmly.

'Well, but, my dear Mr. Spraggon, if you'll have the kindness to
recollect--to consider--to reflect on what passed, you'll surely remember
commissioning me to challenge Mr. Sponge's horse for you?'

'_Me!_' exclaimed Jack, bouncing up in bed, and sitting squinting
furiously. '_Me!_' repeated he; '_un_possible. How could _I_ do such a
thing? Why, I handicap'd him, man, for you, man?'

'You told me, for all that,' replied Mr. Pacey, with a jerk of the head.

'Oh, by Jove!' exclaimed Jack, taking his cap by the tassel, and twisting
it off his head,' that won't do!--downright impeachment of one's integrity.
Oh, by Jingo! that won't do!' motioning as if he was going to bounce out of
bed;' can't stand that--impeach one's integrity, you know, better take
one's life, you know. Life without honour's nothin', you know. Cock
Pheasant at Weybridge, six o'clock i' the mornin'!'

'Oh, I assure you, I didn't mean anything of that sort,' exclaimed Mr.
Pacey, frightened at Jack's vehemence, and the way in which he now foamed
at the mouth, and flourished his nightcap about. 'Oh, I assure you, I
didn't mean anything of that sort,' repeated he, 'only I thought p'raps you
mightn't recollect all that had passed, p'raps; and if we were to talk
matters quietly over, by putting that and that together, we might assist
each other and--'

'Oh, by Jove!' interrupted Jack, dashing his