274 FRANK FORESTER S FIELD SPORTS. 



directions to sit down close to the den's mouth, and there to 

 smoke my cigar, and talk to myself aloud, until his return from 

 recoiiiioitrin'T the locale, and learning whether our friend had 

 any second exit to his snug hiemalia. ' You needn't be scar't 

 now, I tell you. Archer,' he concluded ; ' for he's a deal too 'cute 

 to come out, or even show his nose, while he smells 'bacca and 

 hears woices. I'll be back to-rights !' 



"After some twenty-five or thirty minutes, back became, 

 blown and tired, but in extraordinary glee ! 



" ' There's no help for it, Archer ; he's got to smell hell any- 

 ways ! — thei-e's not a hole in the hull hill side, but this !' 



" ' But can we bolt him V inquired I, somewhat dubiously. 



" * Sartain !' replied he, scornfully, — ' sartain ; what is there 

 now to hinder us '? I'll bide here quietly, while you cuts down ' 

 inlo the village, and brings all hands as you can raise — and bid 

 them bring lots of.blankets, and an axe or two, and all there is 

 in the house to eat and drink, both ; and a heap of straw. Now 

 don't be stnpphi' to ask me no questions —shin it, I say, and 

 jest call in and tell my brother what we've done, and start him 

 up here right away — leave me your gun, and all o' them cigars. 

 Now, strick it.' 



" Well, away I went, and, in less than an hour, we had a 

 dozen able-bodied men, with axes, arms, provisions — edible and 

 potable — enough for a week's consumption, on the ground, 

 where we found Tom and his brother, both keeping good watch 

 and ward. The first step was to prepare a shanty, as it was 

 evident there was small cliance of bolting him ere nightfall. 

 This was soon done, and our party was irnmediarely divided 

 into gangs, so that we might be on the alert both day and nio-ht. 

 A mighty fire was next kindled over the cavern's mouth — ihe 

 rill having been turned aside —in hopes that we might smoke 

 him out. After this method had been tried all that day, and all 

 night, it was found wholly useless — the cavern having many 

 rifts and rents, as we could see by the fumes which arose fr<irn 

 the earth at several points, whereby the smoke escaped without 

 becomino; dense enough to force our friend to bolt. We then 



