274 
FRANK FORESTER’S FIELD SPORTS. 
directions to sit down close to the den’s mouth, and there to 
smoke my cigar, and talk to myself aloud, until his return from 
reconnoitring the locale , and learning whether our friend had 
any second exit to his snug hiemalia. ‘You needn’t be scar’t 
now, I tell you, Archer,’ he concluded ; ‘ for he’s a deal too ’cute 
to come out, or even show his nose, while he smells ’bacca and 
hears woices. I’ll be back to-rights !’ 
“ After some twenty-five or thirty minutes, back he came, 
blown and tired, but in extraordinary glee ! 
“ ‘ There’s no help for it, Archer; he’s got to smell hell any¬ 
ways !—there’s not a hole in the hull hill side, but this !’ 
“ ‘ But can we bolt him V inquired I, somewhat dubiously. 
“ ‘ Sartain !’ replied he, scornfully,—‘ sartain ; what is there 
now to hinder us 1 I’ll bide here quietly, while you cuts down 
into the village, and brings all hands as you can raise—and bid 
them bring lots of blankets, and an axe or two, and all there is 
in the house to eat and drink, both; and a heap of straw. Now 
don’t be stoppin’ to ask me no questions—shin it, I say, and 
jest call in and tell my brother what we’ve done, and start him 
up here right away—leave me your gun, and all o’ them cigars. 
Now, strick it.’ 
“Well, away I went, and, in less than an hour, we had a 
dozen able-bodied men, with axes, arms, provisions—edible and 
potable—enough for a week’s consumption, on the ground, 
where we found Tom and his brother, both keeping good watch 
and ward. The first step was to prepare a shanty, as it was 
evident there was small chance of bolting him ere nightfall. 
This was soon done, and our party was immediately divided 
into gangs, so that we might be on the alert both day and night. 
A mighty fire was next kindled over the cavern’s mouth—the 
rill having been turned aside—in hopes that we might smoke 
him out. After this method had been tried all that day, and all 
night, it was found wholly useless—the cavern having many 
rifts and rents, as we could see by the fumes which arose from 
the earth at several points, whereby the smoke escaped without 
becoming dense enough to force our friend to bolt. We then 
