Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-07-11

loot tnat lie COulu nor come GOWN.
| did not require a great while to
rest, and | soon went into the house,
got my shot gun, powder-hask, shot
bag, etc, putting them on as fast as
possible. JUS; outside the gate stop
ped and loaded my gun, and then, look
ing ut nay little compass, | started OF
in the direction OF Hunters bark. |
passed over one hill-for the ground
rolled like the swells of the ocean-and
ascepded another, but the underground
was so dense that it prevented me from
seeing any great distance in advance
Just ut the foot of the hill, as / came
out of pawpaw thicket, a large gray
squirrel started up from among the
dead leaves. and ran along fallen tree.
/ fired, but, as often happens with
Young sportsman, [ had been too 0}lC
i0uS. and missed him. / followed has
movements with my eye, and so, think
ing it would be better to secure this
fellow than to tramp after the one hun
ter had freed, put my horn to my lips
before loading, and blew strong blast.
Then | began to load, still keeping an
eye on the movements of Mr.. Squirrel,
VINO bad gone up ppst-oak Ikea flash
Of gray lightning, and, OF course, rs
squirrels always do, had taken the OPP
poslte side of the tree, ana was peepng
at me. Without Hunter | should stand
no chance whatever OF getting him
Presently, the dog came, struck the
trail, and, tracing it up to the tree in
which the squirrel had taken refuge,
began t. bark this brought Mr.. SPUR
rel around on my side and taking good
aim, / fired. He sprang off the tres
and fell dead almost at my feet.
Before | passed over the next bill, |
4 had shot four more. =" VIII make
it an even half-dozen," Thought, aud
then go home" SO | trudged ON after
Hunter. There was little use in trying
to keep mp with him TO keep in sight
was all l could DO, and | was obliged
constantly to call him back 1t was
only natural, you know, that his four
feet should carry him over the ground
faster than my two would me. Just as
| was beginning to despair of getting
that last squirrel, far ahead | heard his
voice; it seemed deeper and gruiler
than | had ever heard it before, but
scarcely noticed the difference i'll my
anxiety TO get forward snd obtain one
more shot. | had good reason to re-
member it atterward.
Nv approach was stayed by deep
gully, about twenty or thirty feet wide,
at the bottom of which flowed a small
sluggish stream of water The banks
were steep and overgrown with wild
cane ! could see Hunter Mt the foot of
blasted post-oak, near the opposite
bank, and, cheering him, | made my
way to tree that had fallen across the
run Just below where | stood, forming
an excellent bridge Of itself, but inn
proved by some one who had chopped
of the upper branches, and smoothed
the uppermost side of the trunk. 1t
was about sixteen feet above the water.
As | reached the center Of this natural
/ bridge, | cast Il glance upon Hunter,
who was nearer me now than when
stood opposite him on the bank, the
tree at the foot Of which he was, being
very near the root of that which formed
my bridge, and what | saw at that
glance made me pause, and hesitate
about going any further.
In the crotch of the blasted tree |
saw the game. hunter had rccd a
( yOttl{g 10ild-cH.
A chill ran down my back at the
sight. Ny gun was loaded with number
/ five shot, good for squirrel, but perfectly
useless for larger game. Had | an
otherl | felt in my pockets, still
standing on the middle Of the bridge,
and found four buck shot and bullet,
that | intended to use as siukerS for my
! fishing line. | went back to the bank
and drew the small shot and rammed
home the larger ones, four buck-shot
and bullet. Nine was only single
barreled gun Then | crept ont on
the bridge. Hunters deep bark had
now subsided to sGllen growls. Two
thirds of the way over stopped, and
wound my legs around the trunk Of the
tree, my gun had a long reach, and |
knew would XIII at the distance that
lay between me and the wildcat but
At the same tine | knew that | had bUt
one ehct. and It would not do to miss.
/ raised my gun and took deliberate
aim; but my nerves were not steady
enough | dropped the muzzle until It
rested on the tree. What should do .
Happy thought out from the trunk OF
the bridge sprang branch at an angle
of forty-tive degrees, in which about a
foot from the main tree was crotch. !
would lie upon my stomach, place my
gun in this rest, and my ann would be
sure.
| did so. Running my eve along the
barrel selected a spot in the creature 5
hide Just back of its fore-paw, and,
taking careful aim, fired. The recoil
of the gun knocked me into the water
; below, which, fortunately, was not very
deep, though sufficiently to prevent
my receiying any seriols injury from