23 



On another, after a hard chase with a divided pack, a 

 a part on the right track, and the major on the wrong, we 

 at length halted with a number of the best dogs, at the 

 humble door of a lowly Fox habitation. The scent seem- 

 ed fresh as the dogs were keen. All thought the prisoner 

 safe and a suie prize, to compensate us for a long and 

 weary hunt. We dismounted to rest ourselves and horses. 

 After cheerily passing about the huntsman's indispensable 

 refreshingPocketPistol, tools were procured and all hands 

 in rotation applied them diligently to the work of excava- 

 tion. We soon made a. forcible entry into the Fox premises, 

 there was no detainer^ sly Reynard and probably the 

 Club family had themselves wisely gone out hunting, or 

 had some howling intimation of an intended visit. 



The house was not empty however, a grisly intruder in 

 alarm had precipitately entered, on the good old plea of 

 " any port in a storm." They named him appropriately, 

 when they dubbed him Ground Hog. Some of the disap- 

 pointed curs soon dispossessed the grovelling intruder, 

 and disposed of him. 



He too was a valued prize for old Jonas, whom we will 

 now take the liberty of introducing particularly to the 

 reader, as an important personage who figured more than 

 twenty years as guide and master whipper-in, to the Glou- 

 cester Club, of which he was made an honorary and proved 

 a highly useful member, always at his post, whether at 

 setting out with the Company, leading off, at fault or at 

 the death. Jonas was enlisted in the service of the Club 



