Tired and sleepy, but with a smile on my face, I went off to bed.
The next morning two blue tick hounds, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, came out in the lead with three big coons to their credit. The other four sets were eliminated.
The following morning all five sets of dogs were eliminated. None had even tied the blue ticks, although two sets had gotten two coons, and one of these had treed a third one in a bluff.
That day, while eating dinner, my grandfather asked me if my dogs had ever treed three coons in one night.
I said, 'Yes, four different times, but that's all.'
'Where do you think we should hunt on our night?' Papa asked.
I told him if we could get our judge to go with us in the buggy, we would be better off if we could go far downriver and get out of the range where other dogs had hunted.
He said, 'That's a good idea. I'll go to see the judges about it.'
While I was washing the dishes, Grandpa said, 'I think I'll shave.'
I should've left the tent then, but I wasn't done with my dish-washing.
With a pin, Grandpa hung a small mirror on the tent wall. After much snorting, mumbling, and screwing of his face this way and that, the job was completed. Dabbing a little water on his iron-gray hair, he reached for his brush and comb.
From the corner of my eye I watched him. I had tried to clean the beautiful brush but hadn't been able to get all the short red hair from it.
With two fingers, Grandpa pulled some of the hair from the bristles. Holding it in front of him, he looked it over carefully. Then, bending over close to the mirror, peeking over his glasses, he inspected his head. Straightening up, he looked at the brush again. Turning around quickly, he looked straight at me and said, 'Say, young-'
Not waiting for anything more, I scooted for the door. Crawling under the buggy, I lay down between my dogs. I knew he wouldn't be mad at me, but it would be best to stay away for a while.
The third night, the blue ticks were tied by two black and tan hounds from the bayou country of Louisiana.
All that day I was restless. I prowled through the camp. Every little while I would go and see how Old Dan and Little Ann were. Once I took two weenies from our groceries. I heated them and gave them to my dogs for a treat. Old Dan swallowed his down in one gulp, and looked at me as if to say, 'Is that all?' Little Ann ate hers in a ladylike way. I could have sworn I saw a small grin on her face.
Grandpa was hopping around like a grasshopper, going here and there. Once, passing a tent, I heard his voice. I knew he was bragging about my dogs. I smiled to myself.
Another hunter stopped me and asked, 'Is it true that your hounds have treed six coons in one night, three up in one tree, or is that old man just blowing off steam?'
I told him my grandfather had a little steam, but he was the best grandpa a boy ever had.
He patted me on the head, turned, and walked away laughing.
XVI
IN THE AFTERNOON OUR JUDGE CAME OVER AND INTRODUCED himself. He told us he'd be going with us that night.
About sundown we piled in our buggy and drove a few miles downriver. I noticed other hunters doing the same thing. Everyone was trying to get away from the already-hunted territory.
It was dark by the time Grandpa stopped. I untied the ropes from my dogs. Little Ann reared up on me and whined. Old Dan walked off a few yards, stretched his body, and dragged his claws through the soft bottom soil. Opening his mouth, he let out one loud bawl, and then disappeared in the thick timber. Little Ann was right on his heels.
We took off after them.
Grandpa got nervous. He said to me, 'Don't you think you ought to whoop to them?'
