“Besides the Squire’s dogs and Miss Jule’s, all the idlers in Dogtown had gathered and straggled after when they heard the foxhounds call, and there are mischief-makers among fourfoots as well as with House People.
“Beyond the Mill is a big turkey pasture, you know, the place we buy our turkeys from. Just as the setters were passing it a hairy yellow cur came up and said, ‘There’s fine hunting there and plenty of it—nice young birds.’ The moment those setters got under the bars their noses went down and their tails whirled around like buzz-saws, and they zigzagged across the pasture, charging on the first flock in a body. These were fine white turkeys. The hen who led them showed fight, but the yellow cur teased her off, and the setters, knowing nothing, bit and shook and scattered feathers, until of the fifteen young turkeys not one was left unhurt; then, wild with excitement and the taste of game, they dashed down the field to where some fine bronze birds were sunning themselves. Half a dozen fell before a great gobbler charged from the bushes and gave chase, while the cur picked out one of the killed and took it behind a stone fence, where he ate it at his leisure. Then men began to gather from the fields and two of the pups were caught and tied securely in the barn while the turkeys were collected.
“‘Some one will pay well for these,’ said the farmer, as he laid twenty-nine young turkeys in a row, ‘and the bill will read twenty-nine Thanksgiving turkeys at $2.00 each, for that’s what they were on the road to. Now we’ll round up the dogs’ owner,’ and he went toward the stable to harness a team.
“The other two setters, Patty and Rory, disappointed in having to leave before they had tasted meat, went toward the mill-pond for a drink. ‘Quack, quack,’ said a covey of plump white ducks, sailing from the open into a little bushy cove.
“Quick as a lightning-bug, the pups splashed after them, Rory O’Moore leading, for he was a special pet of Mr. Hugh’s, and had taken swimming lessons from Hamlet in the kennel pool, once crossing the river. The ducks dove, and scattered, but the pups seized a long neck each, and, determined not to go hungry this time, took their game to the shelter of the very door-steps of the mill to make a luncheon. Poor pups! they knew no better, but they do now, for the big miller caught them and dropped them into an empty feed bin, where it was nearly dark, and oh, so stuffy! Then the turkey farmer driving down the road pulled up, and after some talk the miller got in with him, and they drove off together, the turkeys and two ducks packed in the wagon box for witnesses.
Antonio and the Young Spaniels.
“It was lonely that day up in the kennel yard, I can tell you. Flo said it made her feel like the leaf-fall time, when she had the distemper, and all the bird dogs had gone travelling in their crates but she; and she was glad to talk to a lame-winged crow that came to beg, for the only grown dog in the big lot was old Antonio, and with him the young spaniels Ruth, Dell, and Una, who plagued his wits out by chasing him round and round the pool, and daring him to swim.
“Meanwhile the beagles were all over the woods, and I—well, I went with them, just for old acquaintance sake, you know. There were plenty of young rabbits round about, but somehow we were confused, and let them slip; too many trails are worse than none, I find. But just before evening Clover-Dew, my litter brother, and Briar, my aunt, broke loose, going off together, and I following, for they ran well, and the trail lay straight.