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Updated: June 13, 2025
'F-o-o-rard! was again the cry. 'Hang it. Jack, exclaimed Lord Scamperdale, laying his hand on his double's shoulder, as they galloped alongside of each other, 'Hang it, Jack, see if you can't sarve out this unrighteous, mahogany-booted, rattle-snake. Do if you die for it!
His lordship, after very mature consideration, and many most scrutinizing stares at both of them through his formidable spectacles, wondering which would be the least likely to ruin him at length decided upon taking Miss Emily, the youngest, though for a long time the victory was doubtful, and Amelia practised her 'Scamperdale' singing with unabated ardour and confidence up to the last.
Lord Scamperdale was the eighth earl; and, according to the usual alternating course of great English families one generation living and the next starving it was his lordship's turn to live; but the seventh earl having been rather unreasonable in the length of his lease, the present earl, who during the lifetime of his father was Lord Hardup, had contracted such parsimonious habits, that when he came into possession he could not shake them off; and but for the fortunate friendship of Abraham Brown, the village blacksmith, who had given his young idea a sporting turn, entering him with ferrets and rabbits, and so training him on with terriers and rat-catching, badger-baiting and otter-hunting, up to the noble sport of fox-hunting itself, in all probability his lordship would have been a regular miser.
Sponge had taken refuge, determined not to meet within reach of Puddingpote Bower, if he could possibly help it; and Lord Scamperdale was almost always beyond distance, unless horse and rider lay out over-night a proceeding always deprecated by prudent sportsmen. Mr. Sponge, therefore, got more of Mr. Jogglebury Crowdey's company than he wanted, and Mr. Crowdey got more of Mr.
'Ah, that's the hound I offered to Scamperdale, observed Puffington, seeing the movement, and coming up to where Jack stood; 'that's the hound I offered to Scamperdale, repeated he, taking the old dog's head between his hands.
'Was my Lord Scamperdale out? asked Jawleyford, seeing he was not going to get a reply. 'Why, I can really hardly tell you that, replied Sponge. 'There were two men out, either of whom might be him; at least, they both seemed to take the lead, and and he was going to say 'blow up the people, but he thought he might as well keep that to himself.
"They commonly call me the Earl of Scamperdale," roared he, "and those are MY HOUNDS." "They're not your hounds," replied I. "Whose are they, then?" asked he. "Sir Harry Scattercash's, a devilish deal better fellow," replied I. "Oh, by Jove!" roared he, "there's an end of everything, Jack," shouted he to old Spraggon, "this gentleman says these are not my hounds!"
Miss Amelia Jawleyford, who was most elegantly attired in a sea-green silk dress with large imitation pearl buttons, claiming the usual privilege of seniority of birth, very soon led the charge against Lord Scamperdale. 'Oh, what a lovely horse that is you were riding, observed she, as his lordship kept stooping with both his little red fists close into the bars of the grate.
They talked and they chattered, and they abused Old Scamperdale and Jack Spraggon, and lauded Mr. Sponge up to the skies. Thus day closed in, with Farmer Peastraw's bright fire shedding its cheering glow over the now encircling group.
Jack, too, had time to run his peculiar situation through his mind, and ponder on his mission from Lord Scamperdale on his lordship's detestation of Mr. Sponge, his anxiety to get rid of him, his promised corner in his will, and his lordship's hint about buying Sponge's horses if he could not get rid of him in any other way.
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