‘I will,’ replied Mr Sponge; ‘I will,’ repeated he; adding, ‘if I were to sell him, I wouldn’t take a farthing under three ’underd for him -- three ’underd guineas, mind, not punds.’

‘That’s a vast sum of money,’ observed Mr Thornton.

‘Not a bit on’t,’ replied Mr Sponge. ‘He’s worth it all, and a great deal more. Indeed, I haven’t said, mind that. I’ll take that for him; all I’ve said is, that I wouldn’t take less.’

‘Just so,’ replied Mr Thornton

‘He’s a horse of high character,’ observed Mr Sponge. ‘Indeed, he has no business out of Leicestershire; and I don’t know what set my fool of a groom to bring him here.’

‘Well, I’ll see if I can coax my friend into giving what you say,’ observed Mr Thornton.

‘Nay, never mind coaxing,’ replied Mr Sponge, with the utmost indifference; ‘never mind coaxing; if he’s not anxious, my name’s ‘‘easy.’’ Only mind ye, if I ride him again, and he carries me as he did yesterday, I shall clap on another fifty. A horse of that figure can’t be dear at any price,’ added he. ‘Put him in a steeplechase, and you’d get your money back in ten minutes, and a bagful to boot.’

‘True,’ observed Mr Thornton, treasuring that fact up as an additional inducement to use to his friend.

So the amiable gentlemen parted.