The Possum 163 



sure at last to fall slap upon it — hence the 

 tactics of the dogs. 



When Damsel found first, Daddy Jim gave 

 a yell at least three miles wide and half a 

 mile high. Daddy Jim's dogs stood to him 

 for wife and children and friends. So the 

 others never in the least grudged his triumph 

 — Little Mose indeed led the whooping after 

 him, quite as though Wrong was not in the 

 field. Everybody ran pell-mell after the dogs, 

 all three in cheery full cry. Somehow their 

 notes accorded well — particularly well when 

 they were undervoiced by lusty yells and 

 whoopings. It was a jocund rush to the 

 persimmon trees. There often the moon- 

 shine showed a couple of gray gluttons feast- 

 ing in the very tip. Persimmon trees are 

 ill to climb — they are not only distressingly 

 slender, but have few low growing branches. 

 Notwithstanding, somebody at once went up 

 to shake out the feasters. The climber got 

 as near them as he dared go, then set the tree 

 rocking, at the same time shaking with all his 

 might the especial branch to which they clung. 

 If they were fat — and what November pos- 

 sum is not ? — he easily shook loose their foot- 

 hold, but then the tail came into play. A 

 possum's tail is as long as himself, very strong, 

 and hairless for six inches from the tip. With 

 this hairless part he can grip and cling, wrap- 



