Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-01-13

cuulG hear only the crealdng of dead
limb high above u.s. and the below of
frogs in the near pond. We had fas-
tened the trap chains and were COM
ing back to the fire, when the dog rose,
barking fiercely; then we heard the
crack of D'ri's rifle.
More n 90 wolves eroun' here" he
whispered as we ran up to him.
Never see sech a snag on EN-"
The sheep were stirring nervously.
Near the pen wolf lay kicking where
Dri had dropped him.
REST on 'em smoked off when the
gun hollcred," he went on, whispering
as before.
My mother and grandmother sat
with my sisters in the cart, hushing
their murmurs of fear. Early in the
evening | had tied Rover to the cart
wheel, where he was growing holly,
impatient of the leash.
"See?" said Dri, pointing with his
finger "Seo 'em?-there n the dark
by tibet air big hemlock."
We could make out dim stir in the
shadows where he pointed Presently
we beard the spring and rattle of a
trap. AS we turned that way, the
other trap took hold hard; as it sprang
we could hear wolf yelp
"Meks EN- holler,' said D'ri, "thet
Of hetrar does, when it ticks holt. Stay
here by the sheep. n I'll go over n
give EN- somethin' fer spraint ankles
Other wolves were swarming over
the dead deer. and the two in the traps
We're snarling and swapping at them.
| My father and D'ri fired at the bunch,
| killing one of the captives and another
the largest wolf | ever saw. The
| pack had skunk away as they heard the
! rifles Our remaining captive strug-
! gled to get free. but in a moment D'ri
| had Drained him with an ak. He and
my father reset our traps and hauled
! the dead wolves into the freight
! There they began to skin them. for the
bounty was $40 for each in the new
towns-a sum that made our adventure
profitable. | built fires on the farther
side of the sheep, and, as they bright
ened, | could see, here and there, the
cleaning eyes of a wolf in the dark
ness. ! was up all nsht heaping wood
upon the fires. while Dri and my
father skinned the wolves and dressed
The deer. They had just finished when
the cock crew
"Holer. We eol-dum little cuss."
Dri shouted as he went over to him.
Cant no snoohin' wolf crack our
bones fer us. Peeled 'em-thcts what
We done few 'em, Tux N knocked EN-
head over heels Judas Priest! He
can peck a mans finger some, cant
he?"
The liSht was coming and he went
of To the spring for water, while
brought the spider and pots. The
gre at. ereen-roofed temple of the
woods, that had so lately rung with the
howl of wolves, BEGAN to fill with far
wandering echoes of sweet song
They was big cat over there by
the spring las night" said D'ri as
we all sat down to breakfast. Tracks
bigger n griddle! Smelt the NUT
ton. mos likely"
Like mutton?" | inquired
"Yis-sir-ee. they dew" said he
Kind O. mince-pie fer EN-. Like deer
meat tew Shook eroun' the ponds
after dark. Eff they see a deer n the
water they wallop i'm quicker n
liehtnin; jump right in k'slap n tex
i'm"
We were off at sunrise, on road
that grew rCugher every mile. At moor
we Game to a river so swollen as tC
make a dangerous ford. After dinner
my father waded in, going hips under
where the water was deep and swift
Then he cut a long pole and took my
mother on his shoulders and entered
the broad stream, steadying himsel
with the pole. When she had go
down safe on the other side, he came
back for grandmother and my sisters
md took them over in the same way
D'ri, meanwhile, bound up the feather
beds and carried them on his head
leaving the dog and me to tend thu
sheep. All our blankets and clothin!
were carried across in the same man
ner. Then l mounted the cart. will
my rooster lashing the oxen till the.
took to the stream. They had tied thu
bell-wether to the axle, and, as
started, men and dog drove the sheel
after me. The oxen wallowed in tn
deep water, and our sheep, after som
hesitation, began to swim. The BIZ
cart lloated like raft part of the way
and we landed with no great difficulty
, Farther on the road became NOTHING
better than a rude trail where fire
quently, we had to stop and chic
through heavy logs and roll them away
. On a steep hillside the oxen fell, break
r ing the tongue, and the cart tipped side
wise and rolled bottom up. My roos
D.. ter was badly flung about, and bega
e Growing and Tapping as the baske
settled. When | opened it he fey