TRIPLEFOOT 



the top, with the foliage, was over ten feet 

 in the air. While I was listening to the 

 hounds, Triplefoot came in sight. She passed 

 close to the leaning pine, and kept on over the 

 hill. There was a small pond in the valley, 

 below, and I thought Triplefoot was going 

 to the water to throw off the dogs. But I 

 had erred. In a few minutes she returned, 

 doubling on her trail. When she had reached 

 the pine, she jumped to the tree, where it was 

 four feet from the ground. She stopped to 

 look around, and saw me. The wind was 

 against her, so she had to be guided by sight. 

 She seemed satisfied that the man was the 

 hermit, for she went into the thick foliage 

 of the pine top and awaited the hounds. The 

 hounds passed by the tree without stopping, 

 but returned after following the trail to water. 

 Both hounds passed by the tree, to return in 

 a few minutes. One hound had a suspicion 

 that the tree might harbor the fox. He put 

 his paws on the tree-trunk, and smelt along 

 as far as he could reach, then gave it up. 

 Triplefoot had been wise when she jumped 

 .303 



