THE SUMMIT OF THE YEARS 



still see the woodchuck's bristling, expanded tail as 

 he drove fiercely after the fleeing dog, which, with 

 a tail anything but threatening, escaped over the 

 wall into the road. 



I find that one may be the principal actor in a 

 little comedy, and not see the humor of it at all at 

 the time. I know the humor of a race I had with a 

 'chuck last summer in my orchard was quite lost 

 upon me till it was over, when the 'chuck was in his 

 hole, and I was back upon my porch recovering my 

 wind. The 'chuck was a hundred yards or more 

 from his den when I leaped over the fence from the 

 road and surprised him. I pressed him so closely 

 that he took refuge in an apple-tree. Instantly see- 

 ing his mistake, as the missile I hurled struck the 

 tree, he sprang down and rushed for his hole, a 

 hundred and fifty feet away. But I got there first. 

 The 'chuck paused twenty feet to one side and 

 regarded me intently, defiantly. We stood and 

 glared at each other a few moments, while I recov- 

 ered my breath. I wanted the scalp of that "var- 

 mint." I knew that he would make himself believe 

 that I had planted my garden for his special benefit, 

 and I wanted to anticipate that conclusion. I was 

 weaponless. Twenty or more feet from me, on the 

 opposite side from the 'chuck, I saw a stone that 

 would answer my purpose. I calculated the chances ; 

 so did the woodchuck; I sprang for the stone and 

 the 'chuck sprang for his hole, and was in it as my 

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