American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-03-29

jumldng up with forefeet on the runk
and baying In ii frenzy Of excitement.
"Dar he-dar he. cried Jef in joy.
peering up In the darkness. Way up
IN de top. See 'imT'
Tom could merely see an indistlnct
blu against the starlight through the
bare branches.
Il guess so | see somethingr'
Climb or cutF inquired Uncle Rube.
u~nslinging his bundle of splinters and
making two torches. which he lit and
gave the boys TO hold. As the fat pine
sputtered and Jared the light disclosed
swo pin points Of green light shining
from the dark object.
"Oh. yes. dogsone yerl Grinnin' at
US. Is yer? Thinks we ain gwine git
yer, does yer? Thinks yer too sharp
fer us, huh? Gimme dat ak, len. IN
have dat tree down fore yo' cd git
ter de fust limb climbin'."
Uncle Rube swung the ak, and in
two licks it bit u an immense chip
from the tree trunk. Two more Hicks
brought another. then another.
Hole dem dawgs. now JET. We
don want nc chawed up possum. Dis
tree Is trim1in' now; two more licks
II bring hit DOWN. cautioned Rube.
Jer slipped the Irvine through the col
lars Of the four dogs. They were wild
with excitement. for they knew what
was coming.
Look out, folkses; trees a-fallin'r'
sang Uncle RUDE. and with a crash the
tall stem fell. Almost at the same
time Jef was near where the top
struck the ground. scufiing with the
dogs. who had got tangled with his
legs, and he was trying to keep his
balance and handle the lantern at the
same time.
Turn dem dawgs loose-turn 'em
loose. Jenl My Lawd ha' mussy, eff
we amt let dat ole possum git erway.
Turn 'em loose quick. befo' he en- git
far orr
We'll. amt he er slick unr' ON
mented JEFF as he finally got untan.
gled from the cord holding the dogs.
and they plunged excitedly into the
brush OF the treetop. scufiing and sniff
fling In confusion. They lost several
minutes In that way. then broke into
full cry again. trailing up the hill, men
and boys following as best they could.
Ii was hardly FIVE minutes after they
took the trail the second time. but the
party had travelled pellmell over a quar-
ter Of a mile.
Don tell me dat ole possum ain
been hunted befo' disf' painted Rube
He's a-makin' time like err deer"
The dogs signaled that they had
freed again.
Now we got 'iml ain gwine take
no mo- chances-dem dawgs kin have
dey fun en- chaw i'm too. If dey wants.
don purpose fer no possum ter make
me run merse'f ter death,'
Uncle JEFF.
This time the quarry had taken to a
tall blackjack about as large around
as a mans leg.
I'm hole de dawgs. INK Jen-hit's
70 time ter cut de free-but | sbo is
swine ter let dem puppies in soon's
hit nears de groun'"
IAN right. jes so yer don let EN-
loose en- let de tree fan on EN-. DENIS
vallyble dawgs.'
Tom and Joe stood holding Tho
torches so Uncle Jen could see 10
swing the ak Directly came the pre-
iminary cracking and swaying.
Ready now warned Uncle Jef as
he hit the dnal lick. and the rec ma.
Jestically swayed and fell with a thun.
derous crash. A second before it hit
earth RUDE turned the dogs loose, and
they were in the treetop almost before
II had settled from the rebound.
Men and boys ran forward, holding
their lights aloft. and puzzled. too, for
there was the liveliest scrap going on
In those interlaced branches and twigs
they bad eve witnessed. The dogs
were snarling and yelping and bark
Ing and biting. There were squeals
and bowls and growls, and every min
ute or so a dog would dash out. flap
ping a badly torn ear or bewailing
Justify a bitten nose.
Why, good gracious erlive. eff dat
ain er greet big ole coont' yelled I'm.
Gle RUDE. "Whoopee. Sick I'm. Spot,
90 to I'm. Rattlerl Sick i'm. dawgs!
Sick I'm, boys-whoOpeei"
The dogs plunged back to the fray.
The o had about bested them In
the thick branches. but on the second
attack Br'er Coon made the fatal mis-
take OF trying to get into the open. AS
he cleared the tree and landed in the
grass there was another mixup Of 6y.
Ing claws and swapping jaws.
The coon lay fiat on his back and
fought with all four feet and his teeth
de was holding or the dogs and In
nicting more damage on them thar
they were on him until the dogs got
down to team work and would rush
him two at a time on different sides.
IL was as pretty a team play as ever
a football game exhibited.
Finally Spot managed to get the
soon by the throat. and the last heard
or him WAS a ohrfn a,.sroI - c..