’BANTAM HOTEL, BOND STREET.

    ’SIR,

’I have been greatly surprised and hurt to hear that you have thought fit to impeach my integrity, and insinuate that I had taken you in with the brown horse.  Such insinuations touch one in a tender point—­one’s self-respect.  The bargain, I may remind you, was of your own seeking, and I told you at the time I knew nothing of the horse, having only ridden him once, and I also told you where I got him.  To show how unjust and unworthy your insinuations have been, I have now to inform you that, having ascertained that Lord Bullfrog knew he was vicious, I insisted on his lordship taking him back, and have only to add that, on my receiving him from you, I will return you your bill.

    ’I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

    ’H.  SPONGE.

    ’To W. WAFFLES, Esq.,
      ‘Imperial Hotel, Laverick Wells.’

Mr. Waffles was a good deal vexed and puzzled when he got this letter.  He had parted with the horse, who was gone no one knew where, and Mr. Waffles felt that he had used a certain freedom of speech in speaking of the transaction.  Mr. Sponge having left Laverick Wells, had, perhaps, led him a little astray with his tongue—­slandering an absent man being generally thought a pretty safe game; it now seemed Mr. Waffles was all wrong, and might have had his money back if he had not been in such a hurry to part with the horse.  Like a good many people, he thought he had best eat up his words, which he did in the following manner: 

    ’IMPERIAL HOTEL, LAVERICK WELLS.

    ’DEAR MR. SPONGE,

’You are quite mistaken in supposing that I ever insinuated anything against you with regard to the horse.  I said he was a beast, and it seems Lord Bullfrog admits it.  However, never mind anything more about him, though I am equally obliged to you for the trouble you have taken.  The fact is, I have parted with him.

’We are having capital sport; never go out but we kill, sometimes a brace, sometimes a leash of foxes.  Hoping you are recovered from the effects of your ride through the window, and will soon rejoin us, believe me, dear Mr. Sponge,

    ’Yours very sincerely,

    ‘W.  WAFFLES.’

To which Mr. Sponge shortly after rejoined as follows: 

    ’BANTAM HOTEL, BOND STREET.

    ’DEAR WAFFLES,

’Yours to hand—­I am glad to receive a disclaimer of any unworthy imputations respecting the brown horse.  Such insinuations are only for horse-dealers, not for men of high gentlemanly feeling.

’I am sorry to say we have not got out of the horse as I hoped.  Lord Bullfrog, who is a most cantankerous fellow, insists upon having him back, according to the terms of my letter; I must therefore trouble you to hunt him up, and let us accommodate his lordship with him again.  If you will say where he is, I may very likely know some one who can assist us in getting him.  You will excuse this trouble, I hope, considering that it was to serve you that I moved in the matter, and insisted on returning him to his lordship, at a loss of L50 to myself, having only given L250 for him.