Lengthened were the candle examinations, solemn the sips, and sounding the smacks that preceded the delivery of their Campbell-like judgements.
The conversation, which at first was altogether upon wine, gradually diverged upon sporting, and they presently brewed up a very considerable cry.

Foremost among the noisy ones was Captain Guano.

He seemed inclined to take the shine out of everybody.
'Oh! if they could but find a good fox that would give them a run of ten miles--say, ten miles--just ten miles would satisfy him--say, from Barnesley Wold to Chingforde Wood, or from Carleburg Clump to Wetherden Head.

He was going to ride his famous horse Jack-a-Dandy--the finest horse that ever was foaled! No day too long for him--no pace too great for him--no fence too stiff for him--no brook too broad for him.' Tom Washball, too, talked as if wearing a red coat was not the only purpose for which he hunted; and altogether they seemed to be an amazing, sporting, hard-riding set.
When at length they rose to go to bed, it struck each man as he followed his neighbour upstairs that the one before him walked very crookedly..