The Cave by the Beech Fork: A Story of Kentucky-1815

op of the tree, which was so high that any but a practised eye would have looked for the animal in vain. After a short but careful search Owen discovered the bushy tail, and, changing his position

noise, and the ball fell on

d. "That's what the rain

le and discharging it without raising it to his shoulder. "All right!"

up in that there tree!" exclaimed

ad met the old trapper before, and were glad t

t's only a fox-squirrel

nin', boys," said Jerry

all night," r

st frozed," replied the trapper

up under-under the-the bluffs," answered Owen with some h

her might lead to suspicion; he therefore terminated the conversation abruptly, and began to look among the branches of the tree for the squirrel. Owen offered to point it out to him, but he motioned the boy aside, adding

, "just where it was

h to the amusement of the two b

rel in that thare oak, I'll eat him-bones, hair

down for you." He had already dried his rifle, but could not

artin's powder and loaded with great care; "do you wa

anches, the huntsman could judge its position, and aim in such a way as first to pierce the bark and then the squirrel; this was called half-barking

's liberal offer, answered in his brusk, good-natur

head; she says that they are better when they

u can," said Jerry, at the same time getting in position to shoot the squirrel after Owen h

med the trapper, as the report of the rifle died away and

hed trapper. This was followed by a prolonged whistle from the latter, who continued for

for a weasel and catchin' a wildcat! I only seen it done once," expostulated Jerry. "Youn

en, looking in the

his right eye I'll eat him w

yellow-hammer can't keep in the same place long enough for one to take aim

rtin. "I have seen you ma

flew, passing over the head of the trapper. Up went

acticin' for the shootin'-match next month. I ain't been there since Coon-Hollow-Jim, as they calls h

ksman to beat that shot y

ld!" said Jerry, evidently

en added: "I've seen him hit them now and then." For Owen, too, had been practicing for the shooting-match

seen any notice of the sho

"and I passed the cr

an hour, and, as they were anxious to continue on their way homeward, h

nto his game sack and starting down the river. "I'll keep p

morn

d Owen and Martin a

d and yelled to the boys: "If you meet my friend Stayford

-fall?" said Owen, looking down the n

fall?" inqu

d foxes. A weasel has been stea

im in the ordinary de

that you need then is a heavy beam of wood, supported by a smaller piece, to which the bait is f

rry fixes his small traps. I have caught

o," said Owen, "and what do you think h

cave, as it was too dark for them to see his features when he first appeared there. At Owen's request, Stayford explained how Jerry constructed his dead-falls for minks, weasels and other small rodents, whose skins possessed a market value. Instead of the one large log used for crushing the animal to death, he substituted four smaller ones, arranged parall

construct the trap he pushed on toward the pl

walked along; "that was my plan, and it

ssing out into the forest by one of the secret entrances, and making a detour through the wood, reached the path about a mile up the river. Here he entertained the boys until Stayford cou

e happy success of the ruse by which they had just tested the v

ne of your gray foxes what one hound can ketch; but gen

d, "but not a word they uttered, nor any expression of their f

n secured the rock door, threw themselves upon

following the river, and Owen's leading over the hills, their thoughts were much the same. Was there connected with that cave a secret which they did not know? Did this