Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-10-14

were there. but the birds were very re-
firing and not prepared to see visitors
and the squirrels were of the red and
striped variety with just about meat
enough in their wiry little bodies for IL
good charge for a shotgun.
But the sun was warm on the hill
side and the leaves were dropping one
by one, and there We're possibilities
even among those scattered trees. The
appetite for supper was steadily grow
ing, even If there was to be no part
ridge in the supper. One of the bold
hunters was dreaming dreams in the
blue smoke of hts bi'ar and in the
warm sun on q grassy knoll. when a
mighty shout went up from his more
persistent companion. There must be
game behind that shout and the hunt
erS straightway came together. i've
got him il we can only get him." shout :
ed the discoVcrcr through the falling
leaves. hes oornered and We'll have
him If we can get him
The lazy one admitted the logic Of
this and its general application 10 all
hunting expeditions. The him was
a fat grey squirrel that one shot had
driven into Il hollow tree. The man be
hind the gun that fred the hot took
charge and the other took things easy.
After proving beyond Il reasonable
Loubt that the squirrel was in the tree.
The campaign opened Ii was Il SGld
oak with Il hollow heart such as oaks
are wont to have. The inlet was on the
ground and the outlet about 20 feet up.
with the squirrel invisible between. IL"
was bottled like ctrvera's fleet and the
.nsuing campaign may give rise I, a
board of inquiry" some day and more
especially as the enemy was suffered 10
escape.
The blockade was established with
the more active hunter up the tree
guarding the upper hole and the sub
ordinate officer on the ground with n
sticking trying To force the enemy to
attack the upper man. But the enemy
was obstinate and would only be block
AIDED. 50 matters We're brought To 4
head with a handful of burning leaves
in the lower hole.
The efficiency of the upper man was
somewhat impaired BY the smoke but
he allowed he could stand il if the
squirrel could. twisted his legs around
the tre. and hung on. So the man on
the ground stocked the fire right merrily
ard wanted to bet the man up-trte
would surrender before the squirrel.
The man above was sputtering some
thing about treason when the enemy
attacked with lightning rapidity. Ther"
was a grey streak that could hardly b..
distinguished from smoke and another
wild veil The subordinate officer in
stoking the fire neglected his gun and
before he realized what had happened
the enemy was rapidly disappearing
through the tree tops.
Then there was a mighty bang and
everyone bat the sudirrcl knew where
III. shot struck. He might have taken
the wings Of morning. afternoon or
evening. hut it was something pretty
fast. anyway. and when the man in
command came down OUT Of tn" tree
to look at the squirrel he wasn't Nisi-
Die The man who fired the last shot
declared that he had blown the squir-
rel into pieces 50 fine they couldn't be-
seen with a microscope anyway, but
IN. other fellow allowed he hadn't
touched him.
Anyhow the squirrel couldn't have
been found ~ that particular piece OF
woods il htfhad been wanted for muir
der. and the hunters had to admit ;h2:
ii they had got him they would have
had him and remain satisfied with the
beautiful appetite for supper they had
acquired