This is not from fear, for no animal, except 

 perhaps the wolverine who is a terrible 

 F beast is more careless of danger or faces 

 it with such coolness and courage when it 

 appears. Of a dog or two he takes little 

 heed. If he hear them on his trail, he gener- 

 ally climbs a tree to get out of the way ; for 

 your dog, unlike his wild brother, the wolf, 

 is a meddlesome fellow and must needs be 

 worrying everything; and Mooweesuk, like 

 most other wild creatures, loves peace, hunts 

 only when hungry, and would always prefer 

 to avoid a row if possible. When caught on 

 the ground, or cornered, or roused to action 

 by a sudden attack, he backs up against the 

 2 - nearest tree or stone to keep his enemies 

 from getting at him from behind, and then 

 fights till he is dead or till none of his ene- 

 mies are left to bother him, when he goes 

 quietly on his way again. No matter how 

 great the odds or how terribly he is punished, 

 I have never seen a coon lose his nerve or 

 turn his back to run away. If the dogs be 

 many and he is near a pond or river, he will 

 lead them into deep water, where he is at 



