The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-03-09


the water. 1t seemed to me that he
intended to drink It dry. The negro
waited patiently and said nothing
Finally, the dog finished drinking.
trotted around over the ground smell
ing here and there, and INDUCING in
more shaking and clawing up dirt. At
ter what seemed an age to the anxious
people, he returned to his master, who
stopped down and again pointed to the
tracks.
See heah. yo' ole devil, is yo' gwine-
ter take all night fore you do bust
ness?" we heard Manse remark. The
dog stood still for a moment with its
nose on the ground. Then he walk
ed a few steps up the river then
trotted down TO the waters edge
came back to the tracks and again
stood still. Then he made a little
circle and finally trotted slowly up
stream, stopping every few steps to
carefully examine the dry fiat rocks.
Then he went some fifty yards fur
Their up where there was more soil and
a scant vegetation. Coming at last
to little clump of very small bushes,
he placed his nose against the twigs
for a moment, shifted so loud that we
could hear the sound, stool still mo-
ment and looked back to his master
then pointing his big black nose
straight up at the moon, he gave vent
TO one long, loud howl.
Den you spoke a mouf full" ex-
claimed old Manse. Now, you gem'en
foller way back behind and be quiet,
for Bose Use gwineter 'scover do own
all Of dat little shoe. no Offence who
and what she is"
1t is simply impossible to describe
the excitement experienced by the men
behind. No one spoke a word, yet you
could hear each breath drawn, so great
was the mental strain. The dog soon
gave another howl, and kept slowly
up the river bank. The valley along
the stream was comparatively clear,
and 1 will never forget how my heart
ached and thumped every time the dog
approached the deep swift stream.
feared the trail ended in the water
The track was followed slowly for
half mile. Sometimes it came right
to the river bank, only to turn alb
ruptly away. Finally the dog left the
open valley and entered the woods
Here it was a dense brake of oaks and
cedars, and it was with difficulty that
a man could pass through them How
every heart leaped with joy when the
trail left the river. Each anxious
searcher gained courage, for we knew
the river was the greatest danger, and
if the child had gone into the cedar
brake there were chances of finding
her alive, as there were no wild ami
mails likely to modest her in that re-
gion.
The baying Of the dog grew more
frequent but, as he was trained to go
slow, we managed to keep near at
hand. Through the densest cedar
thickets-across little open glades-
down steep gullies and up sleeper
banks went the hound, at every ten
steps uttering that dismal howl that
sounded to our ears sweeter than
Aeolian harps.
We had gone nearly two miles 1t
seemed incredible that tiny six-year
old child could have made the trip
unaided across such country, and
each person began to fear lest the dog
had gotten on the wrong track, and
was following the trail of some of the
searching parties who had been scOur-
ing the woods all day.
After passing through dense thick
ct of bushes and brambles, and en-
tering little open space, we saw old