96 THE WILLEY LONG EUNS. 



superannuated servant of tlie Foresters, old Simkiss, 

 wlio had tlieni from his father ; but we forbear 

 troubling the reader with more than an outline of 

 one of these, that of Old Tinker. Old Tinker was 

 the name of a fox, with more than the usual cun- 

 ning of his species, that had often proved more 

 than a match for the hounds ; and one morning the 

 Squire, having made up his mind for a run, repaired 

 to Tickwood, where this fox was put up. On hear- 

 ing the dogs in full cry the Squire vowed he would 

 " Follow the devil this time to hell's doors but he 

 would catch him." Reynard, it appears, went off 

 in the direction of the Clee Hills ; but took a turn, 

 and made for Thatcher's Coppice ; from there to the 

 Titterstone Hill, and then back to Tickwood, where 

 the hounds again ousted him, and over the same 

 ground again. On arriving at the Brown Clee 

 Hills the huntsman's horse was so blown that he 

 took Moody's, sending Tom with his own to the 

 nearest inn to get spiced ale and a feed. By this 

 time the fox was on his way back, and the horse on 

 which Tom was seated no sooner heard the horn 

 sounding than he dashed away and joined in the 

 chase. Ten couples of fresh hounds were now set 

 loose at the kennels in Willey Hollow, and these 



