‘I vote we go and see him, at all events,’ observed Frank Hoppey, laying down his cue and putting on his coat, adding, ’I should like to see a man bold enough to beard a whole hunt—­especially such a hunt as ours.’

‘Finish the game first,’ observed Captain Macer, who had rather the best of it.

‘No, leave the balls as they are till we come back,’ rejoined Ned Stringer; ‘we shall be late.  See, it’s only ten to, now,’ continued he, pointing to the timepiece above the fire; whereupon there was a putting away of cues, hurrying on of coats, seeking of hats, sorting of sticks, and a general desertion of the room for the railway station.

[Illustration:  MR. SPONGE ARRIVES AT LAVERICK WELLS]

CHAPTER VII

OUR HERO ARRIVES AT LAVERICK WELLS

Punctual to the moment, the railway train, conveying the redoubtable genius, glid into the well-lighted, elegant little station of Laverick Wells, and out of a first-class carriage emerged Mr. Sponge, in a ’down the road’ coat, carrying a horse-sheet wrapper in his hand.  So small and insignificant did the station seem after the gigantic ones of London, that Mr. Sponge thought he had wasted his money in taking a first-class ticket, seeing there was no one to know.  Mr. Leather, who was in attendance, having received him hat in hand, with all the deference due to the master of twenty hunters, soon undeceived him on that point.  Having eased him of his wrapper, and inquired about his luggage, and despatched a porter for a fly, they stood together over the portmanteau and hat-box till it arrived.

‘How are the horses?’ asked Sponge.

‘Oh, the osses be nicely, sir,’ replied Leather; ’they travelled down uncommon well, and I’ve had ’em both removed sin they com’d, so either on ‘em is fit to go i’ the mornin’ that you think proper.’

‘Where are the hounds?’ asked our hero.

‘’Ounds be at Whirleypool Windmill,’ replied Leather, ’that’s about five miles off.’

‘What sort of country is it?’ inquired Sponge.

‘It be a stiffish country from all accounts, with a good deal o’ water jumpin’; that is to say, the Liffey runs twistin’ and twinin’ about it like a H’Eel.’

‘Then I’d better ride the brown, I think,’ observed Sponge, after a pause:  ’he has size and stride enough to cover anything, if he will but face water.’

‘I’ll warrant him for that,’ replied Leather; ’only let the Latchfords well into him, and he’ll go.’

‘Are there many hunting-men down?’ inquired our friend casually.

‘Great many,’ replied Leather, ’great many; some good ’ands among ’em too; at least to say their grums, though I never believe all these jockeys say.  There be some on ’em ‘ere now,’ observed Leather, in an undertone, with a wink of his roguish eye, and jerk of his head towards where a knot of them stood eyeing our friend most intently.