Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-03-08

I'm going, anyhow. We can kill the
old fellow, and get back time enough to
finish these trees I'll steal up TO the
house and get the gun, and you get the
corn-fiddle."
"All right"
The two boys then separated. George
made detour of the grove and en-
tered the house from the back, while
James stole up to the Westinghouse
where his favorite corn.fiddle was kept.
This musical instrument made hor-
rible grating noise, which was sufficient
to brighten any thing but turkeys. When
properly handled it made sound very
similar to the call of wild turkey COB
bier, and the boys had used it effectively
more than once in calling together o
| flock of wild turkeys. :
At the edge of tho hommock the two
boys met about ten minutes later.
George was struggling under the heavy
load of q big, muzzle-lpading shotgun,
while James held the 'corn-fiddle in his
hand ready to play on it.
"They roost somewhere over this
way" said James, pointing with his
finger to dense part of the low hon.
mock. 1--WE must get around on the
other side and then call them to u.s."
well, you lead the way and I'll fol-
low. This gun is so heavy that can't
get along very fast"
A Florida hommock is not very
pleasant place to work your way through,
and the boys made slow work of it. The
tropical luxuriance of the vegetation
closed up every avenue as soon asst was
made, and the boys could not see their
own path behind them dozen feet
The ground was soft and Doggy, and in
places the saw-palmettoes were soplen-
tiful that they scratched the hands Of
the two young hunters as they pushed
their way through them. .....
"Listen!" suddenly exclaimed James.
"Wasn't that the old gobbler?"
81 heard something" replied George,
resting his gun on the grouna;"'but !.
don't know what it was"
"There it goes again." whispered
James.
''It must be turkey. Blow on your
fiddle"
Ahorrible grating noise soon echoed
in the forest, silencing the song Of the
birds around. 1t had the harsh, wayer-
ing and unevenly modulated gobble Of
the wild turkey. The two young hunt
ers crouched down behind a clump of
palmettoes as James made the noise.
In short time there was responsive
gobble from distant part of the hOm-
mock.
THE. old gobbler is getting mad"
whispered George. HE thinks another
gobbler is trying to call'his flock away
from him."
James kept up. the noise, answering
the old gobbler in defiant outbnrsts.
The old male bird was apparently draw
ing nearer, for his gobble sounded plain
er and louder every minute:
In short time there was; q cracking
Of sticks and dead leaves, and then out
of an adjacent clump of palmettoes the
red head of the big turkey gebbler'sud-
denly appeared. Half dozen turkeys
were with him.
''Now fire." whispered James, sudden
~ ceasing his din with the fiddle. !.
4 George raised the old fowlingspieCe 10
his shoulder. took aquick al m and fred.
The old gobbler gave a sudden spring
and uttered loud shrek, and then dis
appeared in the bushes.
:: Without waiting TO- see the result Of
his first shot, George aimed the second
barrel at the flock of astohished tur-
keys. Then, dropping his piece, he
started on q run after his game.
One turkey was killed outright and
another one wounded. James seized
this one, while George started in hot
pursuit after the old gobbler, which was
also severely wounded.
The gobbler, however, was not to be
caught so easily. Although wounded in
the wing and side, the big bird could j
get through the bushes about as East as
the boys.
1t was evidently going to be long
chase; but the boys were. so excited they
did not mind that They were bound
to have that old turkey.
Suddenly the gobbler broke through
the dense glades and ran out on strip
Of land that projected thirty or forty
feet out into deep lagoon. The old
bird seemed to be cornered then.
But, no.; with sudden spring and
heavy hutter of the wings, he managed
to getacross the water to small island
of cypress trees about forty feet distant
ooh, dear. he's got away from nsI"
shouted George.
''Look, look" screamed James, in his
excitement; "a 'gatorv
Sure enough, q big alligator had been
summing itself near the island, and as
soon as the gobbler sought refuge on
the island It's wicked eyes winked and
blinked knowingly. i
The wounded bird was unconscious Of
"a a kr.