St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-05-17

whether the ghost was angry
enough to attempt to injure them.
I'm amin ter hunt it." Coon per-
sisted. His hair seemed rising still
and his knees felt unsteady, but his
resolution did not falter.
Alarmed at such audacity, his
comrade tried in vain to turn him
from his purpose. Coon doggedly
resisted. Bud finally desisted in
sheer despair and the boys were ST.
lent for while.
Let's smudge hit out, Bud, >" Coon
said at last, in low whisper.
Bud turned around in horror at
such daring irreverence.
"Smudge out ha mt ~ he gasped.
"D'ye dast, Coon? What'll hit do
ter We, dye reckon?"
II low we-uns mought jest 'speer-
iment on hit, anyways, Coon re-
turned, deliberatingly. Eye see, no.
body knows jest what a ha'nt
mought take hit inter his head ter
do But we-uns could speerimint,
an mebbe hit mought do some
good"
Hit mought blast the craps
well, hit mought, but ag'in hit
moughtn't. We-uns would know
fur sure eff hit war that away, then"
Hit mought kill US dead" Bud
ventured dismally.
I'D like mighty well ter jest know
fur certing what a ha'nt would do. ,"
persisted Coon. "Granny's alters
a-tellin' about 'er seeing on 'en, an
nary word about 'em dom nothin' q,
onless hit war skeerin' somebody
mighty near TO death. An l ain't
skeery," suggestively, "ef hit air
anything else"
NAV, an I amt neither. Well,
we-uns kin do hit. mebbe."
Bud sighed but heroically deter
mined to follow where his friend
might lead.
"An' hit would be mighty satisfy
in ter know jest what ha'nt war
made of, an Jest what he war obi
gated ter do" Coon again asserted.
In spite of his deliberate manner
he was plucky little fellow, utterly
fearless where ha'nts were not con-
cerned, and of too inquiring a turn
of mind to take the word on others
hearsay.
EFF we-uns war kilt, hit would
happen some time anyway" Coon
decided philosophically and Bud,
too was ready tor the experiment.
The gray light was giving way to
the warmer tints of day, and far
down in the valley were now the
sights and sounds of everyday life.
The boys courage revived under
these influences.
Coon unfolded his plan. The hunt
on the mountain was given up at
once; more important work was
now on hand. The only exit from
the cave was on this ledge, and Coon
was to guard it while Bud crept
around the rock to narrower part.
In former hunting excursions the
boys had often 'smudged," or
smoked out, the coons that had
taken refuge in the hole.
Bud was to attend to the smudg-
ing, while Coon stood ready with
his gun at the entrance to meet the
ha mt if it should flee from the smoke.
There amt a critter nor yet hui
man ez kin endyure the smoke"
Coons argued. "Mebbe a ha MT kin {;
but we-uns can find out fur sure
this away"
1t was some time before Bud could
get a good fire started at the mouth
of the smaller hole; for it was slow
work gathering dry leaves and twigs
to feed it with, as the climbing was
so rough and steep. But at last he
gathered good sized pile on the
narrow ledge. Taking out flint
arrowhead and piece of punk from
his trousers pocket, he laid the two
together and struck the blade of the
jacknife sharply across them till he
had obtained the needed sparks.
A moment more and the leaves
began to burn.
Coon, aw-w, Coon; he called,
softly, peering around the jutting
rock, holding firmly by one brown
hand.
Coon was waiting patiently at the
mouth of the cave; he started for
ward as Buds shaggy head appear
ed around the corner.
''Air hit there ?" he gasped, breath
lessly.
Not yit," Bud responded. Tibet
Wal WI CdllSu yS' LII SOLuS ONSt
me, eff it warn't a human, hit
mought come outen hole no big
germ the smudge-hole. But kin git
hold of hit eff hit does, 1 reckon"
with grim courage. He crept back
to his fire.
The smoke had penetrated the
furthest recesses of the assure and
was now beginning to issue from the
opening which Coon was guarding
He coughed now and then, but man
fully stood his ground, hoping every
minute for the appearance of the
ghost. He wanted the matter set
tied. His gun was leveled at the
center of the assure.
''Se-ss-ss!" scratch, scratch, and
another such unearthly yow1 as had
greeted them once before. 1t came