In accordance with the usual tactics of these sort of gentlemen, Spraggon and Sponge essayed to be two--if not exactly strangers, at all events gentlemen with very little acquaintance. Spraggon took advantage of a dead silence to call up the table to _Mister_ Sponge to take wine; a compliment that Sponge acknowledged the accordance of by a very low bow into his plate, and by-and-by Mister Sponge 'Mistered' Mr. Spraggon to return the compliment. 'Do you know much of that--that--that--_chap_?' (he would have said snob if he'd thought it would be safe) asked Pacey, as Sponge returned to still life after the first wine ceremony. 'No,' replied Spraggon, 'nor do I wish.' 'Great snob,' observed Pacey. 'Shocking,' assented Spraggon. 'He's got a good horse or two, though,' observed Pacey; 'I saw them on the road coming here the other day.' Pacey, like many youngsters, professed to be a judge of horses, and thought himself rather sharp at a deal. 'They are _good_ horses,' replied Jack, with an emphasis on the good, adding, 'I'd be very glad to have one of them.' Mr. Spraggon then asked Mr. Pacey to take champagne, as the commencement of a better understanding. The wine flowed freely, and the guests, particularly the fresh infusion, did ample justice to it. The guests of the day before, having indulged somewhat freely, were more moderate at first, though they seemed well inclined to do their best after they got their stomachs a little restored. Spraggon could drink any given quantity at any time. The conversation got brisker and brisker: and before the cloth was drawn there was a very general clamour, in which all sorts of subjects seemed to be mixed--each man addressing himself to his immediate neighbour; one talking of taxes--another of tares--a third, of hunting and the system of kennel--a fourth, of the corn-laws--old Blossomnose, about tithes--Slapp, about timber and water-jumping--Miller, about Collison's pills; and Guano, about anything that he could get a word edged in about. Great, indeed, was the hubbub. Gradually, however, as the evening advanced Pacey and Guano out-talked the rest, and at length Pacey got the noise pretty well to himself. When anything definite could be extracted from the mass of confusion, he was expatiating on steeple-chasing, hurdle-racing, weights for age, ons and offs clever--a sort of mixture of hunting, racing, and 'Alken.' Sponge cocked his ear, and sat on the watch, occasionally hazarding an observation, while Jack, who was next Pacey, on the left, pretended to decry Sponge's judgement, asking _sotto voce_, with a whiff through his nose, what such a Cockney as that could know about horses? What between Jack's encouragement, and the inspiring influence of the bottle, aided by his own self-sufficiency, Pacey began to look upon Sponge with anything but admiration; and at last it occurred to him that he would be a very proper subject to, what he called, 'take the shine out of.'