don't damp my hardour in the least. All veathers comes alike to me, as
the butcher said ven he vos a slaughtering the sheep!"

Mr. Richard Grubb, here joined in the laugh of his good-humoured friend,
whose unwearied tongue kept him in spirits--rather mixed indeed than
neat--for the rain now poured down in a perfect torrent.

"I say, Dick," said Spriggs, "vy are ve two like razors?"

"Cos ve're good-tempered?"

"Werry good; but that aint it exactly--cos ve're two bright blades, vot
has got a beautiful edge!"

"A hexcellent conundrum," exclaimed Grubb. "Vere do you get 'em?'

"All made out of my own head,--as the boy said ven be showed the wooden
top-spoon to his father!"




CHAPTER VII.

A sudden Explosion--a hit by one of the Sportsmen, which the other takes
amiss.


A blustering wind arose, and like a burly coachman on mounting his box,
took up the rain!