The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-10-12
KILLED THE FOX
nv 0RvILLE DEANE.

| wanted 10 see.
This was the salutation ! received from
my old friend Tom Lane. into whose count
ingroom ! had dropped for a shat one
afternoon in October last.
well" said !. I'm glad ] can Jet be
seen. But what's upy'
why" he answered, Farmer Doolittle
was in town this morning, and says that
famous black fox is around again"
''Do you mean the one we hunted Tor %
,ong a year ago:
eyes. the same fellow. At least ! sup
pose il TO be the same one, Tor haven't
heard Of his being shot. Have your
..No. | haven't" said !, and I'm afraid
I never shall hear of it, for I've concluded
that that fox is brother to the sea serpent"
Thereupon Tom shook his head and re-
piled;
oh guess it's all right, Orville, for Doo-
little afirms that he saw the fox plainly last
Monday carrying off one OF his turkeys, and
that he is certainly black
IAN right, Tom; if he saw him, that ought
10 settle the question of color. But what
Of it,"
"Why, the old gentleman wants me to go
down and hunt for him again, and I've
agreed that Rob and ! will go, provided We
can get YOU to join us. ! can borrow some
dogs from Tim Moore, and Wei have q good
outing if we don't do anything else.
1T does not take a special promise from
YOU to realize that fact | replied, Tor .
dav in the woods with such company is sure
to be productive of a good time, even
though Reward should not allow us to even
get sight Of him. 1t would but add a frac-
ton to the pleasure of the day to get this
elusive fox that has caused our friend Doo-
little so much trouble :,
Then i suppose We can count you IN al
right?' asked Tom.
| cheerfully agreed to go, and on Friday
afternoon we drove to Doolittles mouse,
where we stopped over night. Before sun
rise next morning we were on the grounds
where the fox would most likely be started:
Eve been here so many times can tell
| about where he'll go, if we start him., ex-
| blamed Tom, as we left our wagon by the
roadside and clambered over into a rough
pasture, $50 il you will take your station on
the hill yonder, Orville, Rob may hide down
| there where the wall turns, and III guard
the wood road after / get the dogs into the
| brush"
The "Rob' spoken OF was Lanes only
on-a splendid boy of about 10, OF whom ne
Justly felt somewhat proud.
We had hardly time to reach our hiding
places before the voice OF old Ranger was
heard in the woods, and We knew he had
struck a trail.
The other dogs soon joined their leader,
| and away went all three, baying loudly and
awakening the echoes for miles around
Fainter and fainter came the sounds, till
| they were lost in the far distance. The trail
ed them straight way from the region e
| thought to cover, but We knew they would
come back in time, for an old fox can't be
kept from his home a great while by any
number Of dogs.
II was at least an hour before we heard
ANYTHING further, but when at last we caught
sound Of the baying again it grew rapidly
louder and louder, and told that the game
would soon reach the point whence IT had
started
Nv station on the hill, between two
powders which served as a blind. enabled
me TO see the valleys on either ride, and l
could look directly dcwn upon Rob's hid
ing place, distant abou. half a mile.
As 1 stood looking in the direction whence
the dogs we're coming ! caught sight OF the
fox as he jumped over a wall and darted
across a tract OF plowed land. Sure enough,
he had a black coat-the blacklist l ever
saw.
He was not coming toward either of US,
but was evidently going around the hill.
The hounds followed very closely, and were
giving tongue in that short, sharp way which
always indicates that the trail is still warm,
when of a sudden the barking ceased and
I could see them running about with their
noses to the ground, but occasionally lifting
them TO sniff the air, as they do when they
lose the scent.
This meant that Reynard thought they
we're a little too close, and had begun play
ing tricks to delay them, while he had a
chance to rest.
He had probably run along the top OF a
wall back and forth a few times and then
taken n jump into the bushes, leaving his
pursuers to find the trail again as best they
might.
But Ranger understood this trick. and be-
fore long the whole pack was again press
Ing him very hard.
They were now headed directly for my
hiding place. and ! began to congratulate
myself on my good luck in having been put
there. when the chase took a sudden turn
away from me, and as ! glanced in Rob's
direction | saw the fox creeping along under
cover Of the wall, on the side opposite to
where the boy lay concealed. but going
straight toward him.
thought Of firing, to warn Rob Of the ap-
proach. but quickly decided that would not
do; and, then, was it not likely that the boy
was using his eyes and knew what was go
inr on2 At any rate, | could do nothing
but watch and wait.
Nearer and nearer drew the fox, his black
coat shining in the morning sun, till he was
within so yards Of the corner where the
wall turned sharply TO the left, and still no
movement on Rob's part.
/ feared he must have fallen asleep, fol
now the distance was less than 20 yards
and Reynard was full abreast Of him, and
he did not fire. But just when thought
the fox was about to turn around the cor
ner he made a jump and landed on the wal
not IL inches from Rob's head.
Next instant l saw the fox bound into the
air like a rubber ball and land fully Is feet
away, as the astonished hunter sprang to
his feet and struck at him with the barre
Of his gun.
Quick as lightning the frightened animal