‘The che-che-chest-nut’s not a ba-ba-bad un, I dare say,’ observed Jack.

‘No, he’s not,’ replied Sponge; ‘a deuced good un.’

‘I know a man who’s rather s-s-s-sweet on the b-b-br-brown,’ observed Jack, squinting frightfully.

Sponge sat silent for a few seconds, pretending to be wrapt up in his ‘sublime tobacco.’

‘Is he a buyer, or just a jawer?’ he asked at last.

‘Oh, a buyer,’ replied Jack.

‘I’ll sell,’ said Sponge, with a strong emphasis on the sell.

‘How much?’ asked Jack, sobering with the excitement.

‘Which?’ asked Sponge.

‘The brown,’ rejoined Jack.

‘Three hundred,’ said Sponge; adding, ‘I gave two for him.’

‘Indeed!’ said Jack.

A long pause then ensued, Jack thinking whether he should put the question boldly as to what Sponge would give him for effecting a sale, or should beat about the bush a little. At last he thought it would be most prudent to beat about the bush, and see if Sponge would make an offer.

‘Well,’ said Jack, ‘I’ll s-s-s-see what I can do.’

‘That’s a good fellow,’ said Sponge; adding, ‘I’ll remember you if you do.’

‘I dare say I can s-s-s-sell them both, for that matter,’ observed Jack, encouraged by the promise.

‘Well,’ replied Sponge, ‘I’ll take the same for the chestnut; there isn’t the toss-up of a halfpenny for choice between them.’

‘Well,’ said Jack, ‘we’ll s-s-s-see them next week.’

‘Just so,’ said Sponge

‘You r-r-ride well up to the h-h-hounds,’ continued Jack, ‘and let his lordship s-s-see w-w-what they can do.’

‘I will,’ said Sponge, wishing he was at work.

‘Never mind his rowing,’ observed Jack; ‘he c-c-can’t help it.’

‘Not I,’ replied Sponge, puffing away at his cigar.

When men once begin to drink brandy-and-water (after wine) there’s an end of all note of time. Our friends -- for we ‘may now call them so,’ sat sip, sip, sipping -- mix, mix, mixing; now strengthening, now weakening, now warming, now flavouring, till they had not only finished the hot water but a large jug of cold, that graced the centre of the table between two frosted tumblers, and had nearly got through the brandy too.