“We left the spot without farther ado, and took our way back to the corn-field.
“The dog had now been silent for some time, and we were in hopes that another ‘varmint’ might have stolen into the corn.
“Our hopes were not doomed to disappointment. Pompo had scarcely entered the field when a second ’coon was sprung, which, like the other, ran directly for the fence and the woods.
“Pomp followed as fast as he could be flung over; and this ’coon was also ‘treed’ in a few minutes.
“From the direction of the barking, we calculated that it must be near where the other had escaped us; but our astonishment equalled our chagrin, when upon arriving at the spot, we found that both the ‘varmints’ had taken to the same tree!
“With some rather emphatic ejaculations we returned to the corn-field, and after a short while a third ’coon was raised, which, like the others, made of course for the timber.
“Pomp ran upon his trail with an angry yelping, that soon changed into the well-known signal that he had treed the game.
“We ran after through brush and brake, and soon came up with the dog. If our astonishment was great before, it was now beyond bounds. The identical buttonwood with its great parasite was before us, the dog barking at its foot! The third ’coon had taken shelter in its capacious cavity.
“‘Wagh! massa!’ ejaculated Abe, in a voice of terror, ‘its de same varmint. It ain’t no ’coon, it’s de debil! For de lub o’ God, massa, let’s get away from here!’
“Of course I followed his advice, as to get at the ’coons was out of the question.