[Illustration: MR. SPONGE STARTING FROM THE BOWER]
The fact was, the whole hunt was knocked up in a hurry. Sir Harry, and the
choice spirits by whom he was surrounded, had not finished celebrating the
triumphs of the Snobston Green day, and as it was not likely that the
hounds would be out again soon, the people of the hunting establishment
were taking their ease. Watchorn had gone to be entertained at a public
supper, given by the poachers and fox-stealers of the village of Bark-shot,
as a 'mark of respect for his abilities as a sportsman and his integrity as
a man,' meaning his indifference to his master's interests; while the
first-whip had gone to visit his aunt, and the groom was away negotiating
the exchange of a cow. With things in this state, Wily Tom of Tinklerhatch,
a noted fox-stealer in Lord Scamperdale's country, had arrived with a great
thundering dog fox, stolen from his lordship's cover near the cross roads
at Dallington Burn, which being communicated to our friends about midnight
in the smoking-room at Nonsuch House, it was resolved to hunt him
forthwith, especially as one of the guests, Mr.
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