When Jack reached Hugh’s side, Hugh pointed to the ground a few feet from him, and there, standing close together, were three beautiful Franklin grouse, while on a little spruce tree, two or three feet above the others, sat a fourth bird.
“Now, son,” said Hugh, “I reckon you’ve heard me talk about the way these fool hens are gentle, and how you can kill them with a rock or sometimes with a club, or can even slip a noose over the head of one, as he sits on a branch in front of you. Do you want to try and catch one?”
“Why, yes, Hugh,” said Jack, “I’d like to do that. I don’t want to kill one particularly, because we’ve got what meat we need, but I’d like to catch one.”
“Well,” said Hugh, “you can, and if you get it in your hands quickly enough, you can take off the string and let it go. There’s a straight dead branch over there. Just make a noose of your string, and then tie the string to the end of that branch, leaving about a foot hanging down from the branch, and try it.”
Jack arranged his snare, tying it to the end of a straight branch about six feet long, and then advanced very slowly toward the grouse.
They paid no attention to him until he was within three or four yards, and then one of those on the ground appeared to notice him and stretched out its neck to look at him. Jack stood still and in a few seconds the bird seemed satisfied and resumed its huddled-up position. Then Jack went on, very slowly, and when he had come within six or seven feet of the bird he held his stick before him and tried to pass the noose over the bird’s head. This was not easy to do, and two or three times the noose struck the side of the bird’s head without passing over it, yet the grouse merely moved to one side to avoid the string. Presently, in making this movement, the bird itself passed its head through the noose, and Jack, lowering the point of the stick, pulled it toward him, drew the bird off the branch, and brought it flapping furiously to his feet. He at once seized it and, loosening the noose, took it from the bird’s head. Then he smoothed the bird’s feathers and in a moment or two it seemed to lose all fear.
“Isn’t it a beautiful bird, Hugh?” he said, as he held it up for Hugh’s inspection.
“Yes,” said Hugh, “they certainly are right pretty little birds. It’s a pity they don’t know better how to take care of themselves, for everything that runs across them can kill them.”
“Well,” said Jack, “I’m glad I caught this little fellow, but I’m mighty glad I didn’t kill him, and now I’m going to turn him loose.”
He walked over to the other birds and put the grouse that he held gently on the ground and then stood up. The grouse raised itself to its full height and stretched up its neck, looking at him with an air of great curiosity. Then, seemingly satisfied, it lowered its head and with very deliberate steps walked over toward its fellows, while Jack remounted his horse, and the three travelers started on.