Part 4 (2/2)

[Sidenote: BEAVER HOLES]

”Hold on, boys,” said Davy; ”this won't do. That fox is too many for us.” And putting his fingers to his mouth, he gave three shrill whistles. ”That will call Zab back. It won't do for us to go fooling round on that swamp. It's full of holes, six to eight feet deep, that they call beaver holes. I don't know why; perhaps the beaver made them when they were here. If you get into one of them, it's all up with you, and the snow covers everything up so smooth that we can't tell where they are. That fox don't live here anyway, and is making straight for home, and he may live ten miles off.

”There's a nice spring of water in the side of Listening Hill. We'd better go over to it and have something to eat, and then we can start out again.”

We went to the spring and had a good drink. Then we took out the food that our mothers had put up for us. We munched away, and before long Zab came back.

”I wonder where those other fool dogs are,” said Davy.

”Oh, they're all right. They'll come to Dog Lane to-night all b-beat out, and they'll let me alone for a week.”

”I tell you what it is,” said Davy. ”We ought never to have gone on that trail. We ought to have gone to Bear's Hill, just as we started to.

There's always some foxes at Bear's Hill that live there, and don't want to leave home. Let's go after them.”

After we had eaten our fill we threw the rest of our food on the snow, and Zab gulped it down in no time and had a contented look, probably thinking of those other dogs with their empty bellies.

We started off for Bear's Hill, and Davy said: ”This is a different kind of a place. Foxes that you find here belong here.”

[Sidenote: THE FOX HUNT]

We came on a fox track, and Zab started off on it, and we after him.

First we went along one side of the hill, then over it, and we had to take off our rackets again. Then along the foot of the hill, and Davy said: ”He lives here. We'll get him. Pull off your frock, Ben.” And he began to pull off his.

”Now, Amos, you go up that lane till you come to a gap in the hill. A stone wall crosses it, and almost always when you hunt round this hill, the fox comes down that gully to the stone wall. Get behind a bush near the wall; and you'll see the fox come down the hollow to it. And he will put his fore paws up on the wall, and wait a moment to hark for the dog.

When he does that, you give it to him. Take our frocks, and if you feel cold, put one of them on. Wait there, and keep your eyes and ears open.”

Amos went up the lane, and we followed Zab. At last he seemed to be coming somewhat toward us.

”Let's spread out a bit, Ben, and try to head the fox off.”

He ran to the right, and I followed him, at some distance behind. We could hear that Zab was coming nearer, as we ran, and at last we heard a bang.

”The little cuss has got him, I'll bet you. Come on, Ben.”

We ran on and came to the gully; and at the lower end of it was Amos, with my frock on, which reached down to the ground. He was holding up the fox, and Zab was jumping up and down.

”Good boy, Amos! Now tell us about it.”

”Well, I did just as you t-t-told me, Davy. I went up the lane till I c-came to the gully and saw the stone wall. I found a good b-bush about twenty-five yards from the wall, and got behind it and waited till I began to feel c-cold. I pulled Ben's frock on, and left the neck of it open so that I could get the stock of the gun in to my shoulder, and spread out your f-frock and knelt on it. Then I heard Zab, and knew that he was c-coming toward me. I got ready and saw the fox creeping down the g-gully, and he did just as you said he would. When he got to the wall he p-put his fore paws upon it, p-p.r.i.c.ked up his ears, and moved them forward and back as he listened for Zab, and I f-fired. I aimed at his b-b-breast and p-put two b-buckshot in his breast and one in his neck.”

[Sidenote: DR. FISKE HAS A PATIENT]

”Yer done well, Amos. I couldn't a done better myself. He has a good fur and is a mighty fine fox.”

It was getting pretty well along in the afternoon, and we thought we had had enough of hunting. I picked up the fox and carried it for Amos till we reached Dog Lane, when he left us. We found the partridge where we had tied it to a branch.

When we reached Dr. Fiske's, his sleigh was in front of the door. The doctor had put on a small riding wig with an eelskin cue, and was getting into his greatcoat.

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