80 WILD SPORTS m THE SOUTH. 



put tlie cub under in the mud, yet I don't see the marks 

 of the little rat. 



" Jist then we got through the creek, and I seed whare 

 the old painter had lam down on the bank with her side 

 to the river. 



" Thar were her tracks as clare as Gospel, but whar was 

 the cub ? The cub was gone ! Whar had it gwine to ? It 

 was clare it hadn't gwine anywhare that Yowler and I 

 had been ; it had been left on the fur side of the Ouith- 

 lacouchee. It tuck just a minute of thinkin', and it was 

 all clare. The bee line she had made, the two full tits, 

 the bee-line back agin; Avhat a cursed fool I was not to 

 have seen through it afore I had come so fur ! 



" The painter had littered two cubs somewhar near 

 whar I had seen her in the mornin' ; she had been chased, 

 and knew the parts was onsafe ; she had made up her 

 mind to carry her cubs into the Ouithlacouchee swamp, 

 and had started with one when Yowler struck her trail. 

 That was the reason she sent Yowler back ; that was the 

 reason she wouldn't tree ; and jist keepin' in sound of 

 the dog's yelp, had gone right to the swamp, hid her 

 cub, come back on her back track to ketch the dog and 

 lead him away, till she could go back fur t'other cub, 

 bein' sartin that the hound and his fool of a master were 

 away from her cub, and were chasin' her about. 



" Soon as I had reasoned this out I called Yowler in, 

 and turnin' about, struck for that ere swamp straight. 

 Yowler come on behmd, and about two hours afore sun- 

 set I struck the river, ferried across, took up the old 



