St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-03-29

and the fox.
| In a moment or two the chase
would be near enough for me to take
part, and glanced at my gun to see
| if it was in perfect order.
When looked for the fox again he
had disappeared.
The young dog plunged on to
within a few rods of where l was,
but there was no fox IN front OF him.
The old hound followed his COM
panion, and howled dismally when
he discovered the scent was gone.
The field through which the chase
had come was filled with large
stumps, and the fat tops OF these
stumps were covered with snow.
AS looked carefully along the trail
of the dogs it seemed to me as II the
snow on one large STUN, near winch
the dogs had passed, had rather
peculiar appearance.
The stump was not more than
twenty-five rods away, and as l
could make out two sharp, white
ears sticking up from what appeared
to be an ordinary lump OF snow,
and also two dark spots that might
we'll be an animals eyes.
What would have not given for a
rifle At that distance my shotgun
was useless. In the meantime the
old hound, after making several
circles in quest of the the scent,
started back toward the spot where
the scent had been lost.
The willy fox did not dare to trust
himself so near the dogs nose. The
fluffy white ball stirred uneasily, and
in a moment the fox slipped from his
perch and ran quietly off toward the
swamp.
The old dog trotted on slowly I'M
til he came to this freshet scent, then
with a burst of baying he started
back on the new trail. The young
dog Joined the chase, and both dis
appeared into the swamp behind
the fox.
Thinking it would be some time
before we saw them again, l walked
back to examine the stump on the
top of which the fox had taken
refuge. AsIwas wondering at the
length of the leap the fox had made
from the ground to the stump, l hap
pened to glance toward Jim and saw
that he was signalling me to keep
still.
1 listened carefully to the dogs.
Sure enough, they had turned and
were coming toward me again.
There was no cover near but the
stump, so l crouched down behind
that The fox had made but a short
turn in the swamp, and from the
sound of the dogs Judged they were
in the clearing once more. l could
hear the eager whine of the young
dog. The stump hid the chase from
me, and l did not dare to move for
fear of frightening the wary game.
Suddenly a quantity of snow fell
on me, and l glanced up in time to
see the white fox crouch again on
top Of the stump!
At the same instant he saw me
and leaped over my head to the
earth.
1t was moment before l could re-
gain my self-possession, and by that
time the fox was dashing over the
snow forty yards away. l managed
to discharge both barrels, but my aim
was too hasty; the fox kept on I'M
harmed.
Ny heart sank as I thought our
prize had escaped; but had forgot
ten Jim. AS 1 watched the fox saw
it jump high in the air, and a the
same time rang out the report of
.Jirn's gun.
In moment more he was holding
up the dead fox to prevent its being
torn to pieces by the now frantic
dogs. Although Jim magnanimous-
ly insisted that l could claim a share
in the capture, [ think there is no
doubt that both my shots missed.
The only shot-marks on the animal
were few in the head and neck, and
those must have been fired by Jim.
Except as to color, the fox was in
every respect like an ordinary red
fox. But its fur was pure ivory
white unmarried by single dark
hair.
The next morning we drove to
Ogdensburg, where the white fox
excited much interest. But JIM
had insisted on his considering the
fox his, as indeed it was by all hunt
ing customs-was disappointed to
find that a white fox, unlike the
black and silver-gray varieties, had
no fixed market value. It was SO
unusual an animal, the fur-dealer
explained, that it would be of value
merely as curiosity.
Fortunately the owner of a gun
store came to the rescue, and made
Jim proposition. He said he
would like the fox stuffed for his
show-window, and offered in ex-
change for the animal a good breech-
loading shotgun.
Jim accepted the offer, and that
night returned to Orley with one of
his ambitions gratihed-the ambi-
ton to possess a really good gun.
We have always supposed that