The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-02-25

III. IN tho water. Without a word
from me he jumped in, SWAN across,
passed the dead duck, as it was safe.
caught the wounded one. brought it TO
me. then went back for the dead one.
Seeing me move of, he seemed to
understand that his services were moi
| longer needed and irotied into the
woods without waiting an approving
nod, pottng or frisking about aud
lowering his head as u setter is prone
10 do after he has made successful
point. Bob had too much business Oh
hand TO wait for any such nonsense
Soon | heard his now masical bark
again. This time found the dog lying
at the foot of ali oak tree | examined
The tree very carefully, but could see
no grouse on IT. and walked ON, Bob
reluctantly following. Presently hc lay
down at the root OF Il hickory sapiing
and barked up it. There was no grouse
on 1t. started to leave. Bob Oarked
more saVagely. | turned back and eX-
amlned the tree more carefully. This
time discovered u gray squire! stick
lng to the trunk of the tree. Four
squirrels were soon taken i'm this way
Bob and L were on top of little
ridge. Suddenly | heard the familiar
park OF gray squirrel in the valley
below us. L started toward it. Bob
got right behind me and seemed to pick
his steps for fear he would make a
noise and scare the squirrel. Presently
saw the squirrel in the top OF "a hck-
ory tree far below us. Bob saw it at
the same time. He darted past me
down the hill. The squirrel began To
jump from tree to tree. When | got
down Bob was at least u dozen trees
iroin the one on which | had first seen
the squirrel, but the squirrel was Oh
the tree he was under. Bob and |
Dagged thirteen squirrels in that piece
OF hickory timber. My last charge of
powder had been used Oh the thirteeth
squirrel. 1t WAS growing toward noon
We had made satisfactory mornings
work-seyen ruffed grouse, four rub-
Dlts, two ducks, thirteen gray squirrels.
ielt very well satisfied as shouldered
my game-not light load-amd turned
back to Rock Creek.
When we got back to the place where
had lett my rod | discovered that the
hhe, instead OF extending across the
creek III the direction OF the sunken
/ l0S, now stretched far down the creek.
Taking hold of the rod | was agree
ably surprised to find a 5lb. pike on
the end OF the line. Landing the fish,
nxeu on new bait, threw out the
line, and sat down on the bank, as |
was very tired. After resting few
minutes thought | would look ut the
oait 10 see whether ii was alive.
My limo was good deal longer than
my rod. felt too indolent to reel it
up, SO | threw the rod back of me,
caught the line In my hands and pulled
up The bait. L was holding the bait in
my hand, when splash went pike that
had been following it. lie almost
Jumped between my feet in his eager
ness TO get il. | threw the bait into the
water and could see his big Tan like
tail turn as he caught the lure and ran
on with it After u lively little tussle
L landed him,a fine fellow that weighed
good lOlbs. | put Oh another bait, and
almost instantly another took it, which
proved exactly the same size-a not
uncommon thing in pike fishing.
| Bob and then had lunch. An hours
rest and smoke freshened me up con-
/ siderably. There were some choice
looking pools below me on the creek,
aud concluded to 20 to the nearest
one and try it. The bass began biting
very keenly. | wandered from pool to
pooI.grew interested in the fishing. and
wandered further than intended, /
was certainly u mile below where |
had first caught the pike. But the
temptation WAS enough 10 lead any one
astray. had eighteen black bass,
ranging from 2lbs. to Abs. each, aud
two OF them weighed a little over 5bs.
apiece. But where was Bob? | had
not seen him for long time. In fact,
had not thought of him any more
than | had thought of the game and
pike had left on the creek bank.
hurriedly gathered up my bass and
started back. When | came near the
spot | saw the game and pike lying
perfectly safe where had lett them,
and by the side OF them lay Bob.
stopped and watched him while.
There seemed something noble in the
faithtulness of that little black dog. He
knew | had left them unprotected, and
through all the hours of the afternoon
lie lay there and watched them. While
| stood looking at him some pigs,
wandering through the woods, ap.
preached nearer than | suppose Bob
thought they ought to. Instantly he
darIed out, drove them far up over the
| hill, then returned to his charge.
a few minutes work transferred
game and fish to my buggy. 1t was
sundown. had one large club bait
left. 1t was just the bait to temp,
hungry pike. had seen very large
| pike the day before in pool u short dis
lance up the creek. Calling Bob after
me started tor the pool. The sun had
gone down when | reached it. Ii lay
dark and gloomy looking in the midst
of the woods. A fallen treetop lay in
the midst of the pool; | slipped my
bait in near this and dragged it aloug
the top of the water. 1t had not gone
five feet before the pike came with Il
rush that shot him two feet in the air,
the bait lying across his huge mouth
! Down he plunged and shot up stream.
lie was large, he was angry, he was
fierce. | WAS afraid to let out too much
line. so | started to run along the bank.
AS | did SO my foot caught, my ankle
twisted, and tell heavily | tried 10
get up, but could not. The pain was
intense. sat there and played that
fish out, worried him to the bank and
dragged him up on the grass. lie
weighed lStlbs., but il was the end of
my fishing.
My ankle sweIled. tried to get up
but couldn't. My position was not au
enviable one. Here | was hi tho midst
of Il woods; no house near me possibly
not one person passed in week along
here. Certainly would haye To stay
here ali night.
tried to get up again. Again tell
down. tried to crawl. TINS gave me
too much pain.
Bob had been with me all the time
! suddenly missed him. ] called and
whistied, but no Bob can.9,
had been there possibly two hours,
when heard voices coming through
the woods. One | recognized as that
OF old 81. Evans
| Soon Bob came running up and
rubbed his nose against me, followed
CLOSELY by Evans and his man. The g
plamatiOn was soon made, 1t was All
Bob's doip&s.
"Where,' said !, "did Bob learn SO
muchw
"Oh? trained him since he was a
little pup" said Evans, This explained
all, Tor mare thorough sportsman
than old 81 Evans cannot be found in
three states.
! BY the help of tho men got to my
buggy and the pleasure OF taking the
finest bag Of game into DaShvillc that
any single man had taken i'll that year
seven ruffed grouse, two ducks, four
rabbits, thirteen gray squirrels, tour
al inht ,.Il