270 THE Aroostook Woops. 

tail half spread, they step around among each other, always 
speaking in whispers, for fear of Reynard and other detestable 
neighbors. 
As you now step forward to continue your cat-like tread 
and stalking, the red squirrel that was hidden mostly behind 
a tree, a few feet beyond on your left, out of your sight also, 
as well as the birds, eating his spruce cone with his eye ever 
on you, now quickly jumps, with an angry bark, around the 
tree, out of your sight again, as you appear opposite; then 
shies back, and when his sharp eye meets yours, as you 
always have to look at him, he again, with loud scratching 
upon the bark, claws around and runs nimbly up among the 
branches, giving you a long, victorious chitter over his 
wonderful escape. You laugh aloud to see him, braced 
upon all fours, giving quick, convulsive barks at you. Then 
turning to proceed along, take a step or two, when up go the 
whole covey of partridges, all at one time, and together, with 
such a loud whirring of many wings that you are startled 
much more than you care to admit. 
Reader, this is like, and often seen in our dear old Aroos- 
took woods. Often we have passed by, leaving the birds sit- 
ting in the trees just over our heads, not shooting one of them, 
Of course for good reasons—we do not need them when we 
have three or four on hand, with trout at every pool on our 
way; beside when one wishes to see a deer which may be 
standing near by concealed from you, at the moment watching 
you, it is hardly good judgement to wake the echoes shooting 
grouse. More than that, we will, that we shall not be this 
manner of men that shoot elegant game, leaving it to spoil 
upon the ground, or, later on, having to throw it far away 
from the camp to escape the stench. Passing down the road- 
