THE BATTUE ON BONDA KEY. 183 



" No — thunder ! it's a cat ; see it come." 



Grimalkin, however, did not Hke such a multitude of 

 foes as presented themselveSj and turning to the right, 

 shot in imder the underbush ahead of us, while two of 

 the younger dogs came full cry on her heels. 



" There's a coon — two of them !" I shouted. 



" Out of the frying-pan into the fire I think," said Jack- 

 son, as they ran into the same thicket the cat had taken to. 



Here the bushes became so thick that I had to take 

 my hunting-knife to cut my way and free my legs from 

 the close binding of tenacious green vines that seemed 

 stronger than packthread. We could hear the dogs 

 ahead of us and on either side yelping and scuddmg 

 hither and yon, and I at once saw the advantage of the 

 mongrel pack we were using. They wound in and out 

 of every corner, and under every fallen leaf where a hare 

 could lie, yelping as poor puss started from her form, 

 and only following her^ a few steps to pursue their 

 researches in another cover. 



Slowly we progressed ahead, and after about two 

 hours of labor we had come down one half of the island, 

 and had drawn so near together we could see each other. 

 On calling down the line we had reported two deer as 

 having been seen, and " some coon," with such a strong 

 accent on the some, that we Avere inclined to think that 

 this particular game was very plentiful. Indeed, Scipio 

 was seen with two hanging to his girdle. I could see, 

 from time to time. Miss Lou's boat paddled by Rosa, and 

 the young lady seated in the bow. 



