A HERMIT'S WILD FRIENDS 



Triplefoot's cubs were killed that fall and 

 winter, and she was left childless. Her mate 

 did not den in this locality, and without 

 doubt was shot, for Triplefoot did not rear 

 a family the next spring. It happened dur- 

 ing my tramps in the woods that I often met 

 Triplefoot. She soon understood that I did 

 not covet her glossy pelt, and she separated 

 me from mankind in general. I have known 

 her to remain at the den when she knew I 

 was looking at her through a glass. She 

 often led the hounds through my dooryard, 

 and, if I was about, the hounds got turned 

 off the trail. 



I saw Triplefoot fool the hounds one fall. 

 I was resting in the woods when I heard the 

 hounds in Magnolia Swamp. I understood 

 what was going on. Triplefoot was trying 

 to throw them off, but the dogs had a good 

 scent, and all her efforts were useless. Near 

 where I was sitting there was a pine-tree 

 turned up by the roots. The trunk of the 

 tree was about two feet from the ground, near 

 the roots, but the ground fell off rapidly, so 

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