‘Wonders will never cease!’ observed Fossick, looking Washy over.

So the field sat in a ring about the hounds, in the centre of which, as usual, were Jack and Lord Scamperdale, looking with their great tortoiseshell-rimmed spectacles, and short grey whiskers trimmed in a curve up to their noses, like a couple of horned owls in hats.

‘Here’s the man on the cow!’ exclaimed Jack, as he espied Sponge and Jawleyford rising the hill together, easing their horses by standing in their stirrups and holding on by their manes.

‘You don’t say so!’ exclaimed Lord Scamperdale, turning his horse in the direction Jack was looking, and staring for hard life too. ‘So there is, I declare!’ observed he. ‘And who the deuce is this with him?’

‘That ass Jawleyford, as I live!’ exclaimed Jack, as the blue-coated servant now hove in sight.

‘So it is!’ said Lord Scamperdale; ‘the confounded humbug!’

‘This boy’ll be after one of the young ladies,’ observed Jack; ‘not one of the writing chaps we thought he was.’

‘Shouldn’t wonder,’ replied Lord Scamperdale; adding, in an under tone, ‘I vote we have a rise out of old Jaw. I’ll let you in for a good thing -- you shall dine with him.’

‘Not I,’ replied Jack.

‘You shall, though,’ replied his lordship, firmly.

‘Pray don’t!’ entreated Jack.

‘By the powers, if you don’t,’ rejoined his lordship, ‘you shall not have a mount out of me for a month.’

While this conversation was going on, Jawleyford and Sponge having risen the hill, had resumed their seats in the saddle, and Jawleyford, setting himself in attitude, tickled his horse with his spur, and proceeded to canter becomingly up to the pack; Sponge and the groom following a little behind.

‘Ah, Jawleyford, my dear fellow!’ exclaimed Lord Scamperdale, putting his horse on a few steps to meet him as he came flourishing up, ‘Ah, Jawleyford, my dear fellow, I’m delighted to see you,’ extending a hand as he spoke. ‘Jack, here, told me that he saw your flag flying as he passed, and I said what a pity it was but I’d known before; for Jawleyford, said I, is a real good fellow, one of the best fellows I know, and has asked me to dine so often that I’m almost ashamed to meet him; and it would have been such a nice opportunity to have volunteered a visit, the hounds being here, you see.’

‘Oh, that’s so kind of your lordship!’ exclaimed Jawleyford, quite delighted -- ‘that’s so kind of your lordship -- that’s just’s what I like! -- that’s just what Mrs Jawleyford likes! -- that’s just what we all like! -- coming without fuss or ceremony, just as my friend Mr Sponge, here, does. By the way, will your lordship give me leave to introduce my friend Mr Sponge -- my Lord Scamperdale’ -- Jawleyford suiting the action to the word, and man0156uvring the ceremony.

‘Ah, I made Mr Sponge’s acquaintance yesterday,’ observed his lordship drily, giving a sort of servants’ touch of his hat as he scrutinised our friend through his formidable glasses; adding -- ‘To tell you the truth,’ addressing himself in an under tone to Sponge, ‘I took you for one of those nasty writing chaps, who I ’bominate. But,’ continued his lordship, returning to Jawleyford, ‘I’ll tell you what I said about the dinner. Jack, here, told me the flag was flying; and I said I only wish’d I’d known before, and I would certainly have proposed that Jack and I should dine with you, either today or tomorrow; but unfortunately I’d engaged myself to my Lord Barker’s not five minutes before.’