The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-01-15
CHAPTER III.

STIfAF In itis
About four o'clock that afternoon 1
met David and the dogs at the spinney
which leads into the Sweet Fern
Covert. The three settlers, Voyou,
Gamin and Mioche were in fine feath-
er-David had killed woodcock and
brace of grouse over them that
morning-and they were thrashing
about the spinney at short range when
l came up, gun under arm and pipe
lighted.
whats the prospect, David" I
asked, trying to keep my feet in the
tangle of wagging, whining dogs;
hello, what's amiss with Mioche?" .
"a brier in his foot, sir; drew it
and stopped the wound, but l guess
the gravel's got in. If you have no OBJ
lection, sir l might take him back
with me-"
ITS safer" I said; take Gamin,
too; I only want one dog this after
noon. What is the situation?"
Fair, sir; the grouse lie within a
quarter of mile of the oak second
growth. The woodcock are mostly on
the alders. / saw any number of snipe
on the meadows. There's something
else in by the lake-I can't just tell
what, but the wood-duck set up clat-
ter when 1 was in the thicket and they
come dashing through the wood as if
a dozen foxes was snappin' at their
tail feathers"
Probably a fox" I said; "leash
those dogs-they must learn to stand
it. I'll be back by dinner time"
There is one more thing, SIR" said
David, lingering with his gun under
his arm.
well" said l.
Il saw man in the woods by the
Oak Covert-at least l think did"
"a lumberman?"
II think not, sir-at least-do they
have Cinnamon among them?"
Chinese? No. You didn't see a
Chinaman in the woods here?"
Il think l did, sir-I can't say
positively. He was gone when I ran
into the covert"
Did the dogs notice it,"
81 can't say-exactly. They acted
queer like. Gamin here lay down an
whined-it may have been colic-and
Mioche whimpered-perhaps it was
the brier."
And Voyou?"
"Voyou, he was most remarkable, sir,
and the hair on his back stood up. /
did see a grounding maxim for a
tree near by"
Then no wonder Voyou bristled.
David, your Chinaman was stump
or tussock. Take the dogs now"
II guess it was, sir; good afternoon,
sir" said David, and walked away with
the Gordons leaving me alone with
Voyou in the spinney.
looked at the dog and he looked
at me.
"Voyou!"
The dog sat down and danced with
his fore feet, his beautiful brown eyes
sparkling.
you're a fraud" I said; (which
shall it be, the alders or the upland?
Upland? Good!-now for the grouse
heel, my friend, and show your
self-restraint."
Voyou wheeled into my tracks and
followed close, nobly refusing to no
tice the impudent chipmunks and the
thousand and one alluring and import
ant smells which an ordinary dog
would have lost no time in Investigate
ing.
The brown and yellow autumn
woods were crisp with drifting heaps
of leaves and twigs that cracked I'M
der foot as we turned from the spin
ney into the forest. Every silent lit
tie stream, hurrying toward the lake
was gay with painted leaves afioat,
scarlet maple or yellow oak. Spots
of sunlight fell upon the pools, search
ing the brown depths, Illuminating
the gravel bottom where shoals OF
minnows swan to and fro, and to and
fro again, busy with the purpose OF
their little lives. The crickets were
chipping in the long brittle grass on
the edge of the woods, but We left
them far behind In the silence OF the
deeper forest.
"Now!" said l to Voyou.
ITO an CONTINIIEDl