TWO FOX-UP-A-CHIMNEY HUNTS 



163 



as to the whereabouts of the hunted one. Every 

 department of the " house of call " was being 

 tested to its utmost limit by a large and thirsty 

 crowd, remindful of John Peel's famous north 

 country saying, " now this is the first fox we have 

 killed, and it munna be a dry un' ! " The privilege 

 was extended to the horses, buckets of gruel and 

 chilled water being in request. The assistance of 

 some telegraph repairers was sought, and climbing 



On the ridge of the George and Dragon at \\'ahham. 



on to the ridge of the roof they let a rope with a 

 whisp of straw down the chimney to hasten the 

 descent into the grate below. That a hunted fox 

 should have sought sanctuary in the parlour of an 

 inn, on whose walls hung so many records of the 

 chase, was very remarkable ; for over the fireplace 

 hung a portrait of Mrs Will Goodall the widow of 

 the famous huntsman, who spent the last years of 

 her life living at the old house Croxton Park, 

 pensioned by the sixth Duke of Rutland, whose 

 portrait, with otlier trophies of the chase, adorned 



