‘Why, that was just what I thought,’ replied Lord Scamperdale, taking another tumbler of gin; ’that was just what I thought—­the fellow can ride, and we can’t prevent him; and just as I settled that in my sleep, I thought I saw him come staring along, with his great brown horse’s head in the air, and crash right a-top of old Lablache.  But I see my way clearer with him now.  But help yourself,’ continued his lordship, passing the gin-bottle over to Jack, feeling that what he had to say required a little recommendation.  ‘I think I can turn Frosty’s information to some account.’

‘I don’t see how,’ observed Jack, replenishing his glass.

‘I do, though,’ replied his lordship, adding, ’but I must have your assistance.’

‘Well, anything in moderation,’ replied Jack, who had had to turn his hand to some very queer jobs occasionally.

‘I’ll tell you what I think,’ observed his lordship.  ’I think there are two ways of getting rid of this haughty Philistine—­this unclean spirit—­this ’bomination of a man.  I think, in the first place, if old Chatterbox knew that he had nothing, he would very soon bow him out of Jawleyford Court; and in the second, that we might get rid of him by buying his horses.’

‘Well,’ replied Jack, ’I don’t know but you’re right.  Chatterbox would soon wash his hands of him, as he has done of many promising young gentlemen before, if he has nothing; but people differ so in their ideas of what nothing consists of.’

Jack spoke feelingly, for he was a gentleman who was generally spoken of as having nothing a year, paid quarterly; and yet he was in the enjoyment of an annuity of sixty pounds.

‘Oh, why, when I say he has nothing,’ replied Lord Scamperdale, ’I mean that he has not what Jawleyford, who is a bumptious sort of an ass, would consider sufficient to make him a fit match for one of his daughters.  He may have a few hundreds a year, but Jaw, I’m sure, will look at nothing under thousands.’

‘Oh, certainly not,’ said Jack, ‘there’s no doubt about that.’

‘Well, then, you see, I was thinking,’ observed Lord Scamperdale, eyeing Jack’s countenance, ‘that if you would dine there to-morrow, as we fixed—­’

‘Oh, dash it!  I couldn’t do that,’ interrupted Jack, drawing himself together in his chair like a horse refusing a leap; ’I couldn’t do that—­I couldn’t dine with Jaw, not at no price.’

‘Why not?’ asked Lord Scamperdale; ’he’ll give you a good dinner—­fricassees, and all sorts of good things; far finer fare than you have here.’

‘That may all be,’ replied Jack, ’but I don’t want none of his food.  I hate the sight of the fellow, and detest him fresh every time I see him.  Consider, too, you said you’d let me off if I sarved out Sponge; and I’m sure I did my best.  I led him over some awful places, and then what a ducking I got!  My ears are full of water still,’ added he, laying his head on one side to try to run it out.