The Big Snow 213 



stick men his race is not long. He can make 

 ten-foot jumps for a little while, but cannot 

 keep doing it with deep snow under foot. 



When the snow crusts over, then there is 

 sport indeed. The hunters go out with all 

 the little dogs available. Then truly Tray, 

 Blanche, and Sweetheart come to their own. 

 They wear collars, and are held back with 

 stout strings until the rabbit has been routed 

 out, and has got thirty yards away. So much 

 remains in Tennessee wood-craft of the law, 

 otherwise the start, allowed by the art of 

 venery, to all hunted things. Brer Rabbit 

 well away, and going like a shadow over the 

 snow-crust, the dogs are slipped, and go after 

 him, in howling, dancing chorus, sometimes 

 so eager they trip over themselves. Only 

 light dogs can run thus — fices, terriers, and 

 cross-bred mongrel beagles. Wrong, Right, 

 Watch, High-Low, Music, and Damsel, all 

 had to be left at home, lest they break through 

 the crust and lame themselves on the sharp 

 edges. Patsy was a person of consequence, 

 to be deferred to and conciliated. Her ter- 

 rier Trix, and Button, who was nothing much 

 but plain little dog, were the best rabbit- 

 runners on the plantation. 



Sometimes the little dogs ran down Brer 

 Rabbit in fair open field. Oftener by dodg- 

 ing and doubling. Brer Rabbit got to a thicket 



