'COON-HUNTING IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. 517 



through and over the fence into the standing corn. Here, 

 as well as in the woods, Master Plantigrade had made 

 numerous and various windings, but the scent being strong, 

 this did not seriously hinder the now excited pack. On 

 they went, the music of their voices starting every farm- 

 dog in the country to barking. , No doubt these curs 

 regretted that they were not hounds, that they too could 

 have some of the fun. 



The hounds soon reached the far side of 'the corn, some 

 twenty acres, and again turned toward the woods . 



" Let's get on the fence down in that low piece of 

 ground, and keep still, for he is likely to pass out there 

 when the dogs get close to him; and if he does, we'll prob- 

 ably hear him." 



" Yes, here they come; and they are warming him to his 

 work in fact, making him walk his chunk. Hark ! Hear 

 him, as he strikes some down stalks that are in his 

 course?" 



Yes; and he's quite a distance ahead of the hounds. 

 But hold; the dogs are at fault. He has tacked on his 

 course to throw them off, but not for long, for they soon 

 find it again; and here they come, knocking down the corn, 

 in their wild career, like so many scared cattle. Soon they 

 turn back into the field. The moon now lifts her golden 

 head, away off in the northeastern horizon, as if to ascertain 

 the cause of so much racket lighting up the gloomy aisles 

 of the forest; while two or three old cat-owls begin their 

 "wah, wah, wah, wah-o-ah," from the dead top of an old 

 red oak near by. 



Hark ! The hounds have again turned, and now, distant 

 some three hundred yards, are coming almost straight 

 through the corn to where we are on the fence; each vying 

 with the other for the lead. The trail is fresh and hot, and 

 each is giving tongue, fast and lively. Listen ! We hear a 

 slight rustling among the dry corn-stalks, some ten yards 

 distant, and soon hear Mr. 'Coon creeping through between 

 the rails of the fence. Now we hear him making off 

 through the dry leaves that lay thick on the ground. 



