When he gets so
far I'll tell you what to do." I put my arm through the coil of rope, and,
slinging it snugly over my shoulder, began to climb the pine. It was the
work of only a moment to reach the first branch.
"Wal, I reckon you're some relation to a squirrel at thet," said Hiram
Bent. "Jest as I thought the little cuss is climbin' higher. Thet's goin'
to worry us."
It was like stepping up a ladder from the first branch to the fork. The cub
had gone up the right-hand trunk some fifteen feet, and was now hugging it.
At that short distance he looked alarmingly big. But I saw he would have
all he could do to hold on, and if I could climb the left trunk and get
above him there would be little to fear. How I did it so quickly was a
mystery, but amid the cracking of dead branches and pattering of falling
bark and swaying of the tree-top I gained a position above him.
He was so close that I could smell him. His quick little eyes snapped fire
and fear at once; he uttered a sound that was between a whine and a growl.
"Hey, youngster!" yelled Hiram, "thet's high enough--'tain't safe--be
careful now."
With the words I looked out below me, to see the old hunter standing in
the glade waving his arms.
"I'm all right!" I yelled down. "Now, how'll I drive him?"
"Break off a branch an' switch him.
Pages:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137