he began to stop; but a weak or a timid man on his back had no more chance
than he would on an elephant. If the horse chose to carry him into the
midst of the hounds at the meet, he would have him in--nay, he would think
nothing of upsetting the master himself in the middle of the pack. Then the
provoking part was, that the obstinate animal, after having done all the
mischief, would just set to to eat as if nothing had happened. After
rolling a sportsman in the mud, he would repair to the nearest hay-stack or
grassy bank, and be caught. He was now ten years old, or a _leetle_ more
perhaps, and very wicked years some of them had been. His adventures, his
sellings and his returning, his lettings and his unlettings, his bumpings
and spillings, his smashings and crashings, on the road, in the field, in
single and in double harness, would furnish a volume of themselves; and in
default of a more able historian, we purpose blending his future fortune
with that of 'Ercles,' in the service of our hero Mr. Sponge, and his
accomplished groom, and undertaking the important narration of them
ourselves.

[Illustration]




CHAPTER IV

LAVERICK WELLS


We trust our opening chapters, aided by our friend Leech's pencil, will
have enabled our readers to embody such a Sponge in their mind's eye as
will assist them in following us through the course of his peregrinations.