‘But those who were out will blab, won’t they?’ asked Sponge.

‘Only to each other,’ replied Jack.  ’They’ll all stand up for the truth of it as against strangers.  You need never be afraid of over-eggin’ the puddin’ for those that were out.’

‘Well, then,’ observed Sponge, looking at his paper to report progress, ‘we’ve got the hounds to a check.  “Here the hounds came to a check,"’ read he.  ‘Ah! now, then,’ said Jack, in a tone of disgust, ’we must say summut handsome of Bragg; and of all conceited animals under the sun, he certainly is the most conceited.  I never saw such a man!  How that unfortunate, infatuated master of his keeps him, I can’t for the life of me imagine. Master! faith, Bragg’s the master,’ continued Jack, who now began to foam at the mouth.  ’He laughs at old Puff to his face; yet it’s wonderful the influence Bragg has over him.  I really believe he has talked Puff into believing that there’s not such another huntsman under the sun, and really he’s as great a muff as ever walked.  He can just dress the character, and that’s all.’  So saying Jack wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his red coat preparatory to displaying Mr. Bragg upon paper.

‘Well, now we are at fault,’ said Jack, motioning Sponge to resume; ’we are at fault; now say, “but Mr. Bragg, who had ridden gallantly on his favourite bay, as fine an animal as ever went, though somewhat past mark of mouth—­” He is a good horse, at least was,’ observed Jack, adding, ’I sold Puff him, he was one of old Sugarlip’s,’ meaning Lord Scamperdale’s.

’Sure to be a good ‘un, then,’ replied Sponge, with a wink, adding, ’I wonder if he’d like to buy any more?’

‘We’ll talk about that after,’ replied Jack, ’at present let us get on with our run.’

‘Well,’ said Sponge, ’I’ve got it:  “Mr. Bragg, who had ridden gallantly on his favourite bay, as fine an animal as ever went, though somewhat past mark of mouth—­“’

‘"Was well up with his hounds,"’ continued Jack, ’"and with a gently, Rantipole! and a single wave of his arm, proceeded to make one of those scientific casts for which this eminent huntsman is so justly celebrated.”  Justly celebrated!’ repeated Jack, spitting on the carpet with a hawk of disgust; ’the conceited self-sufficient bantam-cock never made a cast worth a copper, or rode a yard but when he thought somebody was looking at him.’

‘I’ve got it,’ said Sponge, who had plied his pen to good purpose.

‘Justly celebrated,’ repeated Jack, with a snort.  ’Well, then, say, “Hitting off the scent like a workman”—­big H, you know, for a fresh sentence—­“they went away again at score, and passing by Moorlinch farm buildings, and threading the strip of plantation by Bexley Burn, he crossed Silverbury Green, leaving Longford Hutch to the right, and passing straight on by the gibbet at Harpen.”  Those are all bits of places, observed Jack, ‘that none but the country folks know’ indeed, I shouldn’t have known them but for shootin’ over them when old Bloss lived at the Green.  Well, now, have you got all that?’ asked he.