Show b i0i Chader 1aii4 IX Buster John Sees Hodo Now the lucky chance which gave Buster John opportunity to see the i foxhunt was both curious and interesting inter-esting The date was fixed upon and the childrens grandfather invited the hunters to spend the night with him so a to have an early start the next morning So one Friday afternoon the hunt was to take place on Satur daythe hunters began to arrive ome singly and some in couples until all had arrived except young Maxwell and his hound Hodo Mr Kilpatrick came bringing Music and Whalebone and Tip with others Mr Collingsworth brought Fanny and Rocket and Bar tow with their chorus and Mr Dennis Den-nis brought Rowan and Ruth and Top and Flr There were other hunters with their dogs and wih one or two gen John and the little finger at Sweetest Susan This sort of an introductloffTcharm introuctoncham ed the children who were shy and put them at their ease at once Heres your tobacco Johnny Bap ter Now dont feed my horse till I come out tonight and do put him in a dry place where the wind cant strike him and if you have time wash his legs The roads are awful Hang my saddle and blanket on the side fence yonder Ill go in and tell em howdy and then Ill come out and look after them He went in the house with each of the children holding him by a hand He seemed to be a child with them He shook hands with the host and with the other guests and excused himself on the plea that he wanted to have a frolic with the children He was 1 but had none of the characteristics of that age He was even more juvenile in his actions than Sweetest Susan He fl Ei ii I ft c C iytuzic fr A C 4h THE HUNTERS BEGAN TO ARRIVE COUPLES SOME SINGLY AND SOME IN tlemen who had no dogs but who wanted to see the sport But these hunter their friends and their dogs were not the ones Bustei John wanted to see So he continued to watch the big gate at the head of the avenue Sweetest Susan watched with him Drusilla being busy helping their mother who as a good housekeeper house-keeper looked after her dining room and was not afraid to go into the kitchen Buster John was anxious lest young Maxwell would f l to come anc said so many times He had once heard his grandfather reading something some-thing that Maxwell had written in the county paper and he had also heard the negroes talking about the young man how clever and kind he was And then his horse Butterfly and his hound Hodo What wonderful wonder-ful tales old Fountain and Johnny Bapter had told about these animals But when the sun was about an hour high and just as Buster John had given up all hope he saw the big gate swing open A large dog came through and after him a rider on a sorrel horse Without alighting from his horse the rider pulled the gate to and leaning down until Buster John could see nothing but one of his feet pressing against the saddle fastened the catch Buster John had never seen the gate opened and shut in this fashion before for the latch had been purposely fixed low so that the little negroes could open the gate for vehicles vehi-cles going out and coming In The dog waited with much dignity for the gate to be shut and then came trot T1 c f I j l qjjqt uI know where he used to stay said Buster John ting along the avenue close at the heels of the cantering horse Thats him cried Buster John clapping his hands How often had Johnny Bapter and old Fountain described de-scribed the horse and rider Pale little fellar look like he bout twelve year ol Rangy sorrel horse wid long mane an a tall dat drag de jjroun The tail was tied up owing to the muddy roads but the mane was loose and gave the horse a very attractive and picturesque appearance Both Buster John and Sweetest Su tan ra to meet young Maxwell but Johnny Bapter was before them Howdy Marse Joe cried Johnny Bapter joyously Why howdy Johnny Bapter Then as the children came up Maxwell shut both eyes tight and said Wait Johnny Bapter Ill bet you a twist of tobacco that the young man over here Is Buster John and that this beautiful young lady < ver here Is Sweetest Susan While he was speaking speak-ing Johnny Bapter pushed the children dren around deftly s that they exchanged ex-changed positions < Then Ill take de bet exclaimed Johnny Bapter Youve lost said young Maxwell i look at my hand I was open the forefinger was pointing at Buster I i1 i made the children call him Joe and asked them where there was a shelter where he could put his saddle to keep it out of the dew Make Johnny Banter hang it up with the rest in the carriage house suggested Buster John No said young Maxwell This I a peculiar saddle I has a dog tied to it by an invisible string Sure enough When they reached the side fence there was Hodo lying directly under the saddle and blanket which Johnny Bapter had placed on the fence You can see the dog and saddle I sad-dle remarked Maxwell but you cant see the string Buster John suggested the old carpenter car-penter shop which was a long shed room the entrance to which had no door There was a pile of shavings in the shop and Joe Maxwell said it was the very place of all others So he placed his paddle on the workbench I work-bench kicked the shavings together and told Hodo he could go to bed and pull the cover over his head when he got ready i Will he stay Buster John asked The other dogs were all fastened up in the blacksmith shop to keep them from going home Young Maxwell laughed Hell stay I there till I come after the saddle unless un-less I call him out He was for returning to the house but just then the children saw their grandfather and his other guests coming com-ing in their direction Maxwell said Mr Collingsworth Ive heard a heap of loose talk about this wonderful dog o yours I lay you I have two can outfoot him Dennis has another and Kilpatrick another AVhereve you hid him I dont mind dark horses in politics but I dont like dark dogs in fox chases Then youll not like Hodo remarked re-marked Joe Maxwell for hes very dark almost black Come Hodo The hound instantly came from the shed and stood looking at hiS master his head turned expectantly to one side This gesture as you may call it was somewhat comical but it was impressive im-pressive too Hodo was large for a hound but very compactly built His breastbone and foreshoulders were I very prominent his chest was deep I and full his hams were almost abnormally abnor-mally developed and his tail ran to a keen point His color was glossy black except for a dash of brown and white on his breast and legs and a white strip between his eyes His ears were shorter than those of the average pointer His shape and build were on the order of a finelybred bullterrier only on a very much larger scale You call that a hound remarked Mr Collingsworth jokingly I the Birdsong dogs are hounds responded Joe Maxwell Hes a pretty dog said Mr Kil patrick but hell have some warm work cut out for him in the morning During this brief conversation Buster Bus-ter John had approached close to cose Hodo and now laid his hand on the dog caressingly Hodo flinched as if he had been stung and snarled savagely sav-agely but instinct or curiosity caused him to nose the youngster and then he whined and wagged his tail Joyously Joy-ously a if he had found an old friend Well well exclaimed Maxwell this Is the first time I have ever known him to make frends with I stranger He has two faults a bad temper and a hard head Hodo fawned on Buster John and I whined wistfully Once he curved ant tall in peculiar fashion and ran around and hither and yonder as if he were keen for a frolic Maxwell I was so astonished at these manifestations I manifesta-tions that he could do nothing hut laugh Hodos antics however had attracted attention in another quarter A brindle cur belonging to one of the negroes took offense at the playful spirit of the strange dog and ame rushing toward him barking ferociaus ly The cur was an large as Hodo and quite as formidable looking The hound heard the challenge and rushed to accept i and the two dogs came together some distance from the spectators spec-tators There was a fleece wrangle for the advantage and then those who were watching the contest saw Hodo dragging the cur about by the neck and shaking him furiously When Hodo finally gave him his liberty the cur ran toward the negro quarters I told you he wasnt a hound exclaimed ex-claimed Mr Collingsworth I he is lies not a common hound u I agree with you there said Joe Maxwell laughing YJU R turing from his encounter Hodo went Buster John and rubbed his head against tle youngster and followed fol-lowed him about This of course was very pleasing to Joe Maxwell for or dinarily Hodo was very vicious with strangers dren and especially with chi drenWhen When supper which was a very substantial sub-stantial meal had been discussed Joe Jqe Maxwell called for Buster John and the two went to the lot On the way there ter they were joined by Johnny Bap Show me where my horse is John mJ ny Bapter said Joe Maxwell He right yonder suh in do best stall dey is His legs all clean Well then Johnny Bapter I want fifteen ears of corn not the biggest with sound ends and two bundles of fodder Put the corn in the trough untie the bundles of fodder outsld II and whin as much of the rust nut of it as you ian And then place a bucket of water in one end of the trough This was all very quickly and deftly done for Joe Maxwells tobacco c > s Johnny Bapter described is tasted like mo and the way to get more was to look after that sorrel horse I hope you are going along with us in the morning said Joe Maxwell to Buster John as they were returning t the house Oh I wish could the boy exclaimed ex-claimed Id give anything to go but mamma says Im too young Shes afraid something will happen to me Young Maxwell laughed Why I went foxhunting before I was as old a you Mr Dennis took me behind him twice because I promised I wouldnt hunt rabbits with his foxhounds fox-hounds Please tell mamma that cried Buster Bus-ter John I certainly will said Maxwell And he did As soon as they went in the house he took Buster John by the hand and went into the parlor where the lady was entertaining her guests with music and conversation She was in high good humor Her eye sparkled and her laughter was pleasing to the earCome in you two boys she cried merrily Heres a comfortable chair by me shall I call you Mr Maxwell I used to call Joe when cal you you were younger Everybody calls me Joe said Maxwell Max-well I have come to ask you a favor Will you allow Buster John to go hunting hunt-ing with us tomorrow morning Why who ever heard of such a thing thingMr Dennis there has heard of it twice The lady looked at Mr Dennis who gave an affirmative nod How would he go she asked On my horse behind me What do you think of i father Why I think he will be perfectly safe with oe Let him go by all means said Mr Dennis emphatically I will help to make a man of him But two On a horse in a foxchase Why its ridiculous exclaimed the lady The horse would break down in I half an hour How much does Buster John weigh Joe Maxwell asked Fiftyfive said Buster John proudly Then the horse would carry 110 pounds Mr Dennis weighs at least thirty pounds more than that and heV the smallest man in the party There was nothing for the mother to do but give her consent though she gave it with many misgivings as mothers moth-ers will and with many admonitions to Joe Maxwell to take care of the boy which he faithfully promised to do To make sure that he would not be left behind Buster John begged to be allowed to sleep in the room with Maxwell Max-well This point was easily carried and the youngster went off to bed triumphantly tri-umphantly an hour earlier than usual He was asleep when the hounds were fed on warm cornbread especially prepared for them and he was far in the land of dreams when a little later Joe Maxwell carried Hodo his supper which Jemlmy bribed with tobacco for her pipe had saved out for him 1 was not large in amount but care fully selected and no doubt Hodo en joyed it for he made no complaint about it i Buster John as has been said went to bed happy and triumphant and it seemed to him that he had been in bed but a few moments when he felt Joe Maxwell shaking and rolling him about in bed and heard him crying out AAheres this famous foxhunter who was to go along and take care of me this morning The horses are all ready breakfast is ready so Jemimy says qnd everybody is ready except the Great North American Fox Hunter known far and wide as Buster John What can be the matter with him In this way Buster John was aroused j 4 K HE CREPT UP DIRECTLY UNDER THE HEN to the realities and he remembered with a thrill of delight that this was to b the day of days so fa as he was concerned He leapt from the bed and was dressed In a jiffy Dont wake the house my son said mJ Joe Maxwell solemnly Theres your overcoat your mother sent up last night the air Is chilly this morning There was a cold rain during the nicht I But you have no overcoat remarked II remark-ed Buster John Oh Im tough repliejJ Joe Maxwell well Ive been out to look after my horse and dog They are both prime and the weather Is prime I the fox we are going alter is a friend of yours you may a well bid him goodbye this morning Hes very cunning explained Bus > > < < ter John A great many dogs have chased him He is called carI c Jve h a of him many a time rfe plied JoevMaxwell That the Im here todaS I Thats the neigh I borhood thB morning and you get a good chance tell him goodbye 1 think he knows all about this hunt Buster John ventured to say Oh does he Well It will be ii mighty good thing for him if he has moved his quarters but well beat around andabout and see if he wont give us a dare I know where he used ta stay said Buster John lere didnt know whether lie was doing right or wrong Aaron showed me Aaron Well Aaron knows aU about I and he knows a good deal more than that Some of these days Im going to write a book about Aaron Sure enough cried Buster John I can tell you lots of things to put in it I ca tell you things that nobody no-body iVouldjbelieve theyhadnt seen em J iihWell Well Ill tell you what well 10 said Joe Maxwell well make a bargain gain You shall tail the fox today i youll tell me all about Aaron Buster John agreed and the two a 1 lW V1 > < dr O g l < e < ff 1 < 1 < I I 1 1 ftg I IJd 2 lV He Had Seen More Than One Horse and Rider Pass Along the Road shook hands over the contract in the most solemn fashion Jn a few moments mo-ments they were eating breakfast which was a very good one for that part of the country even if the coffee was made of parched rye and sweetened sweet-ened with honey Shortly afterwards the hunters were ready to ride to the field I was still dark but dawn was beginning to show itself and by the time the final start was made the childrens granfather having to give some directions to Aaron dawn was fairly upon them and the chickens were fluttering from their roosts to the I ground in the halflight and walking dubiously about I i Now old ScarFace confident of his I powers had done a very foolish thing During the night and while the rain 1 was still falling he had ventured to reconnoitre the Abercrombie place He I came out of the sedgefield through the bars crossed the road and went sneaking sneak-ing as far as the ginhouse Here he stopped and listened The night was still but his quick ear heard noises that would have ben imperceptible to human ears Uie playful squeak of a rat somewhere in the ginhouse a field mouse skipping through the J weeds the fluttering of wings of some night bird He heard the barking of dogs too but not a strange voice I among them He heard the Spivey catch dog with his gruff and threatening threaten-ing bark Far away he heard a hound I howling mournfully The hound was evidently tied Close at hand barked the cur that had challenged Hodo he had not yet recovered his good humor I But not a strange voice came to his ears This was easily accounted for The hounds that were to pursue him I had been comfortably fed and were now fast asleep while Hodo was curled up in shavings dreaming that he hal his mouth right on a fleeing fox but couldnt seize him He whined and moved his limbs a lIe dreamed ama am-a prowlng cat that had paused to investigate in-vestigate tho noise In the shavings flitted away All the sounds that came to old ScarFaces ears were familiar so from the ginhouse he sneaked to the barn as noiselessly as a ghost pausing on the way to listen Hearing nothing he went further until he was under the eaves of the barn in one end of which the horses of the huntsmen were stabled Here he stoppedand his tened for some time what could the silence mean Peeping from the sedge field during the afternoon he had seen more than one horse and rider pass along the road and several whiffs of strange dogs came to his sensitive nose He concluded that these men and dogs meant another chase after him but he was not certain and so came forth in the dark to investigate Usually when hounds are taken away from home and fastened up out of sight of their masters some of the younger ones will get lonely and begin be-gin to bark and howl Old ScarFace knew this well but he didnt know that seasoned dogs rarely ever make such a demonstration unless they are hungry hun-gry Consequently when he heard no barking and howling he was almost convinced that after a nights foray he could return to the sedgefield and sleep undisturbed the next day Still there was a doubt and to ease his fears he decided to test the matter more fully iOn i-On a fence near him a hen and half I a dozen pullets were peacefully rousting roust-ing He crept up directly under the hen gathered his strong legs under him leaped upwards and the next moment mo-ment was cantering through the dry weeds dragging the squalling hen by the wing Surely the racket was sot flcient to alarm the plantation At the barn he dropped the hen olaccd a forefoot firmly upon her and held his head hlzh to listen There was certainly cer-tainly a loud response to the hens alarm The geese in the spring lot made a tremendous outcry seconded by the guineas but the only dog that barked was the cur that made a mistake mis-take by attacking Hodo This certainly seemed to be a fair test and old ScarFace was satisfied He crushed the poor hens neqk in his cruel jaws and put an end to her appeal ap-peal for help He was not very hungry but he carried the hen home promising himself a hearty breakfast in the morning He ate a good ration however and then curled himself snugly together until he looked lile a big ball of yellow fur He was awake early the next morning morn-ing but before he was half through his breakfast the light of day was be irinnintr to f rw > n iindpr tho KTIOKI when he heard a i long nnrpt mournful itat the Abercrombie place followed by another an-other How often he had heard this wail I was the cry of foxhounds He stayed not to hear it repeated but skipped out into the gray dawn lethe le-the shadow of fear stealing away from the light End Part IX |