At Close Range 



of me, one must think, since he is quick to take 

 alarm when a man appears. Another owl showed 

 even less discernment in that he overlooked me, 

 head and all, at a yard's distance and tried to get 

 his game out from under my feet. 



A little dog had followed me that day, keeping 

 out of sight till we were far from home, when he 

 showed himself in a waggish way, as if he knew 

 I would not have the heart to tie him up in that 

 lonely place, as he deserved. All day long he had 

 a vociferous and a "bully" time making a nuisance 

 of himself, stirring up a hornets' nest in every 

 peaceful spot, chasing deer out of sight with a 

 blithe rowdydow, swimming out to the raft on 

 which I was fly-fishing, jumping in to get tangled 

 in my landing-net when I reached for a big trout 

 in twenty ways showing that his business was to 

 take care of me, though he was no dog of mine. 



Late in the afternoon, as I rested beside the 

 homeward trail, the little dog rambled off by him- 

 self, still looking for trouble, like all his breed. 

 Presently there was a yelp, a scurry, a glimpse of 

 broad wings swooping, and back came the trouble- 

 seeker like a streak, his eyes saying, "Look at this 

 thing I brought you !" and his ears flapping like a 

 pair of wings to help him along. Over him hov- 

 ered a big barred-owl, grim as fate, striking, miss- 

 ing, mounting, swooping again, brushing me with 



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