THE HISTORY OF THE BEL VOIR HUNT 



at Croxton Park on seeing two young fellows looking like 

 butchers, seated in a high trap, unconcernedly drive up with 

 a fine fox seated between them. The trio appeared all of one 

 mind — interested in the scene, reynard not in the least discon- 

 certed, but rather blinking one eye as he sat on the safe 

 perch between his friends." 



But no incident amused Goodall more than the story of the 

 hare and the quarryman at Slight's Gorse, the recital of which, 

 like the more celebrated " grouse in the gun-room," never 

 failed to bring back the laughter it caused when it happened. 

 Mr. Finder again shall tell the story : — 



" A ludicrous incident happened whilst Lord Forester was 

 master, at Slight's Gorse. Whilst hounds were drawing the 

 furze, a number of men from the neighbouring quarries as- 

 sembled in a field close by, and as one of them spied a be- 

 wildered hare running down a furrow towards him he dropped 

 on one knee with his hands out ready for a capture. And 

 singularly enough, just as the hare reached him, with an eye 

 back upon the hounds, she made a sudden spring into his 

 arms, and he succeeded in catching hold of one of the hind 

 legs. The hare screamed and struggled frantically, her cap- 

 tor tumbling over backwards with puss scoring his face sadly 

 with the loose claw until it was streaming with blood. But 

 the hewer of stone never let go, and at length, catching hold 

 of the hare by the neck, the struggle was soon over, with 

 anticipation of the enjoyment of ' matching her agin' a bit o' 

 bacon,' as he called it. The effect was so ridiculous that the 

 field roared with laughter, Lord Forester tipping the quarry- 

 man with the price of a few gallons of October wherewith to 

 celebrate the occasion with his comrades at the Fox's Brush 

 in the evening. 



It was this joyous, laughter-loving nature that made Will 

 so popular with the farmers and with his brother huntsmen, 

 who loved to spend a day or two with him and share the 

 hospitality he was always ready to give. 



By this time any slight jealousy of the Belvoir huntsman 

 had died away, and he was recognised as one of the heads of 

 his profession in the kennel. But of this I have already 



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