A Day With the Squirrels. 



day when George and I enjoyed the hunt that I shall make 

 a weak attempt to describe ; but every incident connected 

 with it is as fresh in my mind as though it were but yester- 

 day. We had decided to take a trip up the creek after gray 

 squirrels, which were reported to be unusually abundant in 

 our section of the country that year. I had spent the evening 

 with George at his home, and it was arranged that we should 

 meet on the bank of the creek above my home the next morn- 

 ing at daylight , row up to the old spring in our skiff and 

 begin our hunt from there. When I arrived at the place of 

 rendezvous I soon discovered that I was the first on hand, so 

 I took a seat on an old stump and enjoyed the awakening of 

 day while waiting for George to show up. It was an ideal 

 September morning, and how distinctly I remember it ! How 

 invigorating the fresh, crisp, frosty morning air was ! All was 

 quiet except the crickets chirping among the willows along 

 the bank and the continual murmurs of the waters of the 

 creek, as they rippingly flowed over their rocky bed at my 

 feet. 



Soon gray streaks appeared in the east, gradually expand- 

 ing and changing into colors of brighter hue. As the day 

 advanced the chirping of the crickets gave way to the more 

 melodious warblings of the songsters in the surrounding trees 

 as they awakened with the day. What a morning to send the 

 blood tingling through the veins of a sportsman and a lover 

 of nature, and make him feel happy and thankful for the priv- 

 ilege of enjoying such a morning out in the country, away 

 from the stifling, smoke-tainted air of the city. The sun was 

 already making its appearance over the hill on the other side 

 of the creek when George came in sight, with his gun over 

 his shoulder and his boat paddle in his hand. 



"Hello, old man! Is this what you call daybreak?" said 

 I, as he stopped on the bank beside me. 



"Well, Will, I couldn't help it; I set the alarm clock for 

 three, but I don't believe it went off." 



[50] 



