Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-03-06

iron-gray locks, falling loosely from
under the quaint old cap OF hand
dressed coonskin,s could belong TO but
one man in the world--Uncie Nick.
Jack instantly darted ITO cover and
began stalking the old ranger Barely
fifty yards separated them when, as
he peeped from behind an oak, he saw
the old man steal out from a dense
thicket Of Wild grape-vines. dart across
an open space and throw himself fiat
behind decaying log. s
Crawling up behind huge sugar
maple that stood barely more than a
rod from the log, Jack rose to his feet,
grin spreading over his face as he
thought of the surprise he was about
TO spring upon his old friend
He was just bracing himself for the
rush when hand fell upon his shout
der, and. whirling with sudden startle-
ment, he found himself looking with
foolish vacancy into the quizzically
twinkling eyes of--Uncle Nick.
At sight Of his young friends be-
wildered face the shoulders Of the old
hunter shook with merriment, though
not a sound passed his lips--the silent
laughter that long years In the woods,
when they were dangerous. had taught
him.
AN did y'u think E take the o.
man by su'prisef Did y'u, ladr'
n He opened his mouth In another
upheaval Of silent merriment. his still
sinewy shoulders heaving up and
down and jostling his iron-gray locks
about his ears. ~
"Jist bracin' y'urself fr the rush,
werdn't y'u?"
'T-I-thought y'u was b'hind the
log.
The old rangers eyes danced and
his mouth spread wide.
II wus."
"Yes-but how WY I had m eyes
on that log every second"
"Egzacly"-the sinewy shoulders
heaved up and down again--"calc'-
lated y'u would Std o. keepin' y'ur
eye on the log, WI ort "a KEEP 1t on
the pass. to the highest cover--ol' In
jim trick-show y'u some time
The young man glanced at the log,
noted the space Of practically open
ground that must have been crossed
in order to reach the nearest cover,
and turned to his aged companion in
frank admiration.
: Wonder If l ever will be as handy
as your"
"Tain't likely-y'ur life don't de-
pend on 1t, like mine use'n to sixty
years ago. Y'u're far handler already
than any other man In the woods.
But woodcraft will never ag'in be
what It once't wus. People even kinda
look down on 1t. nowadays. They're s.
wrapped UP in book rarnin' an lam
grabbin' an money graspin' that they
think It's kind of disgrace-some Of
emf even Farm T. shoot. No, no,
woodcraft will never ag'in be what 1t
once't wus--never ag'in."
a, faint suspicion of bitterness, OF
nomesickness for. scenes long gone
for the stimulating uncertainties of
the perilous trail--quavered in the
old mans tones. He stopped, plucked
off tender shoot from sassafras
sprout and stood chewing it medita-
lively.
How come y'u left y'ur trail s.
open this morningi" asked Jack. II
picked u UP where y'u jumped the
road"
The question seemed to recall the
I'D mans straying thoughts.
Yes. an y'u ort' a picked it up
long b'fore. Y'u crossed It twice't
b'fore ever y'u come down the bluffs
once't about a hundred yards west .
the pheasant's nest, an ag'in leetle
moth Of whar y'u stood lookin' down
at Hen Spencer's OIL cabin. Y'u didn't
hardly act like y'urse'f this mornin'--
y'u acted kinda keerless an fur away,
like-so ! left the trail open leetls
thar at the road an at the crick."
The young man turned away and
stood gazing out across the brush-tan-
gled hollow.
Auu Iue kuiuklu take ny Su PRISE
the famous ranger that found the
trail of the great Tecumseh, when It
was hid from the best Of the runners"
he said warmly-"and you was jist
playin' with me-"
At reference to the far-famed.
achievement Of his yodnger days. the.
shoulders Of the old hunter seemed to.
grow q little more, erect. while his
dark eyes glowed with fains sugges-
ton Of the fire that In his prime had
made them the hardest pair of eyes
on the border to pass unseen.
well. not list playin', nuther." He
chewed hard on the sassafras sprout
moment. "You must "a purt nigh
run into that gal lettle bit agoY''
A statement with the force Of a
questionable young man started, but
hid the movement by fumbling with
his sore shoulder. The terrified face
Of the mountain girl freshened in his
mind, with the dread Of discovery in
har ctortloN ouoo He the