The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-12-28
hing to eat and the bunk, for I'm sure

tree.
Despite the evenings promise the sun
rose clear and warm the next morning.
Come in," called voice as Gates rap
ped at one of the guests caeins on the
following morning. As he entered the
sportsman sat up in bed rubbing the
sleep out of his eyes.
well, what is the weather." he in
quired.
Same old kind, " replied the guide.
What do you think, had we better 90
out!'' asked the man.
Just a. you say, you re the doctor"
replied Gates. "But, honest, l dom t
think it's bit of use. We'd just kick
leaves and break twigs all day and moth
ing doing. Tell yer what we can do, ="
he added, after pause. ''Wait till
afternoon and then GO up into those old
fields again. Something's dead sure to
come in there sooner or later"
Wouldn't that buck start everything
going again as he did last night" in
qulred the gentleman, putting his hand
to his head and holding it gently as though
but it aches," he exclaimed.
That's just the Teller I'm going in
there for, asserted Gates. Col darn
i
bad, he would finish up fine bunch of
game for you to take out"
Very we'll, that sounds good to me.
Guess am better off here in bed for a
WHILE" continued the sportsman. Gee!
but my head certainly is bad" he in
sisted, as he slowly moved it from side
to side to see if it worked and was all
there. Guess | was up too late with
the boys last night, he muttered. Say.
old chap, get me a pitcher of fresh
water, please, that's good fellow
'Have a piece of ice in it, sir?" in
quired the guide.
Yes, yes, hundred pieces and quick.
m parched. Simply cooked all the way
down you know. Just hot as the very
devil, and dry
At three o'clock that afternoon Gates,
the old gentleman and another sports
man started out on the three-mie tramp
to the Chase fields. They followed the
Neale Pond tote road going northeast.
The way led through swampy bottom
land where they crossed streams on pole
bridges. Solid enough in winter when
frozen hard but wet and wabbling now,
then the road continued up over hard,
wood ridges with old choppings on either
!
and left, making the route bewildering
except to one acquainted with the coun-
try. Most of the way it follows the
stream coming out of Echo Lake, and
from open spaces they caught occasional
glimpses of Moxie Mountain towering
above the lakes and forest Trout dart
ed from under the bridges, and part
ridges ran along the road ahead or few
away with -racking whirl of
feathers. Many times they were tempt
ed to shoot but the guide restrained
them, as they were out for larger game.
/ At the end of cool walk through a
thick, black evergreen growth, where
/ the fallen pine spills made the road soft
and silky, like thick, rich carpet, they
came out into the fields, or what in some
remote past had been fields, and cult
/ waited, as the remains of an old cellar
was yet to be seen and many ancient
apple trees were scattered about, but
now the opening was grown up to a
tangle OF weeds lnterspersed with scat
tered clumps of bushes
1 Great Scott but somebody's skunk
has got loose" exclaimed one of the
men, as sickening odor was waited their
way, coming evidently from clump of
apple trees to the right. Investigating,
they found the animal dead, crushed by
the powerful jaws of big bear trap set
in rude pole shanty at the foot of one
Of the trees. Naturally they didn't dis
turb things much, but unanimously de
cided they would allow Chadbourne, the
owner Of the traps, to look after that
affair himself.
The two fields were some ten RODS
apart, so after posting a man in each,
concealed by a screen of bushes, out
still allowing them a fair view, Gates
himself went farther on up onto the
high ridge in an open hardwood growth
and sat down behind the upright roots
of an overturned birch Twice before
he noticed the big buck had come in by
/ this place and he was taking a chance he
would do so again.
! First, he carefully scraped away the
/ leaves and tWigs for several feet around,
so that had he to move quickly he could
do so without noise. He also broke and
cast aside the hanging roots and branches
which might interfere with the swing OF
| his rifle, then he placed himself and
waited in silence.
A still hunt like this requires supreme
patience. Especially so when the hunter
is up against willy old buck who knows
all the symptoms and has more tricks
than a country lawyer, and is shyer, il
possible, than the average sweet CIR
graduate, However, one thing was
strongly in Gates favor, even deel
could not pass through those deep leave,
without making some noise. So, shoule
it come within shooting distance it coulc
not pass unnoticed
The sun was sinking all the while and
by now the western sky was riot Of
gold and crimson. The big birches
beaches and naples were standing dark
ly silhouetted deep and rich in tone,
trunk and branch drawing beautiful
tracery across the gorgeous background
As the sun disappeared chilly cool
ness settled about which sent shud
dering SILVER through the man but h
kept his position and waited patiently.
AS the breeze dropped with the de
clining sun the silence became almos
painful. 1t was broken at intervals
however, by uneasy squirrels, who al
they caught sight of the hunter spranl
nimbly up the nearest tree-trunk, sound
ing their sharp rattle of alarm.
Soon rustling of leaves near b.
caught the listeners attention, and
partridge jumped up onto log but
few yards away. The man sat like
statue, watching her. Upon seeing hin
the startled bird gave cluck of alarm
and seemed about to fly, curiosity, tn
one fatal weakness of game birds ant
apipoa1S hold hoy fast For a long tim