THE RANCHMAN'S RIFLE ON CRAG AND PRAIRIE 



141 



and the gray fox over the beautiful fertile hills of middle Tennessee ; and 

 some of the same blood runs in the veins of Mr. Wadsworth's Geneseo 

 hounds, behind which I have ridden as they chased the red fox through 

 the wooded glens and across the open fields of the farms, with their high 

 rail fences. 



I often take Rob out when still-hunting black-tail, leading him along in 

 a leash. He is perfectly quiet, not even whimpering ; and he is certain to 



THE BUCK OVERTAKEN. 



overhaul any wounded deer. A doe or a flying buck is borne to the ground 

 with a single wrench, and killed out of hand ; but a buck at bay is a formi- 

 dable opponent, and no dog can rush in full on the sharp prong points. 

 If the two dogs are together, Rob does most of the killing ; Brandy's only 

 function is to distract the attention of an angry buck and then allow Rob 

 to pin him. Once a slightly wounded and very large black-tail buck, started 

 just at nightfall, ran down to the river and made a running bay of nearly 

 two hours, Rob steadily at him the whole time ; it was too dark for us to 

 shoot, but finally, by a lucky throw, one of the men roped the quarry. 



