tainly,' replied Mr. Plummey.

'I couldn't think of leaving Mr. Puffington when he's poorly,' observed Mr.
Sponge, half to himself and half to the butler.

'Oh, master--that's to say, Mr. Puffington--always does best when left
alone,' observed Mr. Plummey, catching at the sentence: 'indeed the medical
men recommend perfect quiet and moderate living as the best thing.'

'Do they?' replied Sponge, taking out another cigar. Mr. Plummey then
withdrew, and presently went upstairs to report progress, or rather want of
progress, to the gentleman whom he sometimes condescended to call 'master.'

Mr. Puffington had been taking another spell at the paper, and we need
hardly say that the more he read of the run the less he liked it.

'Ah, that's Mr. Sponge's handiwork,' observed Plummey, as with a sneer of
disgust Mr. Puffington threw the paper from him as Plummey entered the
room.

'How do you know?' asked Mr. Puffington.

'Saw it, sir--saw it in the letter-bag going to the post.'

'Indeed!' replied Mr. Puffington.

'Mr. Spraggon and he did it after they came in from hunting.'

'I thought as much,' replied Mr. Puffington, in disgust.

Mr. Plummey then related how unsuccessful had been his attempts to get rid
of the now most unwelcome guest. Mr. Puffington listened with attention,
determined to get rid of him somehow or other. Plummey was instructed to
ply Sponge well with hints, all of which, however, Mr. Sponge skilfully
parried. So, at last, Mr. Puffington scrawled a miserable-looking note,
explaining how very ill he was, how he regretted being deprived of Mr.
Sponge's agreeable society, but hoping that it would suit Mr. Sponge to
return as soon as he was better and pay the remainder of his visit--a
pretty intelligible notice to quit, and one which even the cool Mr. Sponge
was rather at a loss how to parry.

He did not like the aspect of affairs. In addition to having to spend the
evening by himself, the cook sent him a very moderate dinner, smoked soup,
sodden fish, scraggy cutlets, and sour pudding. Mr. Plummey, too, seemed to
have put all the company bottle-ends together for him. This would not do.
If Sponge could have satisfied himself that his host would not be better in
a day or two, he would have thought seriously of leaving; but as he could
not bring himself to think that he would not, and, moreover, had no place
to go to, had it not been for the concluding portion of Mr. Puffington's
note, he would have mad