A North Carolina Fo.v Hunt by Moonlight 51 



England!" cried the Colonel, as one of his hounds hegan giving 

 tongue. "I jus' laf," said Jim, "fo dat's no fox, nohow, dat's a 

 possum, sure, cause ole Ginger she was right dah, and she dun 

 say nothing ahout it. For shur I did laf, and I say I give 

 ten y'ars my life if dem 'ported dogs take after a possum, 

 an' disgrace themselves for life. 'Whar's you Ginger now?' 

 said dat fool nigger Rastus, 'pears like she hain't got no nose, 

 nohow.' 'See heah, Rastus,' said I, 'has yer been up to any 

 crookedness? I just tell you right now, I got a gun for you, 

 and I shoot you daid fo' you get out dis yher woods!' " And 

 Jim drew his gun, and rolled his eyes, hving over again his state 

 of mind when he was between fear and doubt. 



"On went de hounds, and we were waitin' and waitin', when 

 way off to the right o' de Sacket hounds, I heahs old Ginger." 



At this the Colonel cried "Good!" and Jim went into 

 ecstasies again, like all his emotional race, as he lived the sensa- 

 tions over. 



" 'Dat's ole Ginger,' I cried to Col. Sacket, 'your dogs only 

 run a possum. Dat's ole Ginger, and you listen jus' a minute. 

 Dun I tole j'ou so,' sa' I, and shu' 'nuff all our dogs hark to 

 ole Ginger; not a dog of Col. Sacket's in the lot, and I was fit 

 to die for joy." 



"Jim," said the Colonel, as if the news was too good to be 

 true, "Jim, is that right?" 



"Dat is squar gospil true on de Bible. Col. Sacket can say 

 no diff'rent." 



"Well," said the Colonel, to bring Jim back to the trail 

 again, "What next?" 



"Of cose I wanted to git to ole Ginger but I wanted fust 

 to see wid my own eyes de disgrace of dem 'ported dogs. By- 

 n-by we heah ole Ginger a-coming, and yelping every time she 

 hit the ground. She had shur turn dat fox to bring him back, 

 so we could see the fun. On dey conies, offle fast. I could tell 

 she war heating Mr. Fox's jacket mos' beautiful. On dey 



