Turning the sidle into a stately sail, with a haughty sort of sneer and toss of the head to her sister, as much as to say, 'What are you doing with my man ?'--a sneer that suddenly changed into a sweet smile as her eye encountered Sponge's--she just motioned him off to a sofa, where she commenced a _sotto voce_ conversation in the engaged-couple style.
[Illustration: MR.

SPONGE AND THE MISSES JAWLEYFORD] The plot then began to thicken.

First came Jawleyford, in a terrible stew.
'Well, this is too bad!' exclaimed he, stamping and flourishing a scented note, with a crest and initials at the top.

'This is too bad,' repeated he; 'people accepting invitations, and then crying off at the last moment.' 'Who is it can't come, papa--the Foozles ?' asked Emily.
'No--Foozles be hanged,' sneered Jawleyford; 'they always come--_the Blossomnoses!_' replied he, with an emphasis.
'The Blossomnoses!' exclaimed both girls, clasping their hands and looking up at the ceiling.
'What, all of them ?' asked Emily.
'All of them,' rejoined Jawleyford.
'Why, that's four,' observed Emily.
'To be sure it is,' replied Jawleyford; 'five, if you count them by appetites; for old Blossom always eats and drinks as much as two people.' 'What excuse do they give ?' asked Amelia.
'Carriage-horse taken suddenly ill,' replied Jawleyford; 'as if that's any excuse when there are post-horses within half a dozen miles.' 'He wouldn't have been stopped hunting for want of a horse, I dare say,' observed Amelia.
'I dare say it's all a lie,' observed Jawleyford; adding, 'however, the invitation shall go for a dinner, all the same.' The denunciation was interrupted by the appearance of Spigot, who came looming up the spacious drawing-room in the full magnificence of black shorts, silk stockings, and buckled pumps, followed by a sheepish-looking, straight-haired, red apple-faced young gentleman, whom he announced as Mr.
Robert Foozle.

Robert was the hope of the house of Foozle; and it was fortunate his parents were satisfied with him, for few other people were.
He was a young gentleman who shook hands with everybody, assented to anything that anybody said, and in answering a question, wherein indeed his conversation chiefly consisted, he always followed the words of the interrogation as much as he could.