244 HORSES AND HOUNDS. 



welcome visitors as tliey best could. Besoms and brushes were 

 put in requisition, but to little avail ; tlie hounds showed fight, 

 and, having gained possession of the drawing-room, held their 

 ground, or rather their floor. "Handsome Jack," who was 

 quite a ladies' man, having, by his good looks and soft words, 

 gained over the pretty housemaid, was seen looking out with 

 her, all smiles and good humour, at one window; and from 

 another, some of the hounds, as if quite at home, were gazing 

 down on their astonished companions in the yard below. To 

 dislodge Mr. Reynard from his hiding-place was not, however, 

 quite so easy a matter. The tongs were put into requisition, 

 but at the first nip the fox ascended higher. They then tried 

 the broom, which brought down lots of suot, so that Handsome 

 Jack and his companions were very soon as black in the face as 

 sweeps ; but Mr. Reynard would not come down. They then 

 sent one of the hounds up the chimney, the whippers-in shut- 

 ting the others outside the door. This had the desired effect, 

 and in a few minutes down came hound and fox into the room 

 below, with such a cloud of soot that it saved the fair ladies of 

 the mansion the necessity of employing a chimney sweeper for 

 the ensuing three months. " Oh dear, oh dear !" exclaimed the 

 pretty housemaid, " the carpet is entirely ruined ! What will 

 my mistress say !" " Oh, never mind, my dear," said Handsome 

 Jack, "this don't happen everyday in the week." "No, sir, 

 once in one's life is quite enough for such a job as this 

 will be." 



The fair complainant was remunerated for the trouble likely 

 to ensue after this black afiair, and the fox, having been 

 secured, was taken into some meadows opposite, and turned 

 adrift. Sufficient time was given him, and then the hounds 

 laid on the scent, or rather track, for scent there was none at 

 first from his worship, who presented the appearance of a run- 

 ning soot-bag. After he had well shaken himself, however, and 

 brushed through a fence or two, the hounds set to work running 

 hard, and the whoo-hoop -soon resounded over the late tenant of 

 the chimney. 



