They had started on a ’coon-hunt.  Frank and Harry, who were two of the best shots in the village, were armed with their double-barreled shot-guns, and the others carried axes and lanterns.

We have said that it was a moonlight night, but, so far as a view of the chase was concerned, the light of the moon would benefit them but little; and the boys carried the lanterns, not to be able to follow the ’coon when started, but to discover him when “treed,” and to assist them in picking their way through the woods.

During a raccoon-hunt, but little is seen either of the dogs or the game.  The woods, let the moon shine ever so bright, are pitch-dark; and the dogs rely on their scent and the hunter trusts to his ears.

The ’coon seldom strays far from his tree, and, of course, when started, draws a “bee-line” for home, and the game is for the dogs—­which should be very swift, hardy animals, having the courage to tackle him if he should turn at bay—­to overtake him, and compel him to take to some small tree, where he can be easily shaken off or shot.  But if he succeeds in reaching home, which he always makes in a large tree, he is safe, unless the hunter is willing to go to work and fell the tree.

The boys were accompanied by their dogs, which followed close at their heels.  Lightfoot was about to take his first lesson in hunting, but Brave and Sport evidently knew perfectly well what the game was to be, and it was difficult to restrain them.

A few moments’ walk brought them to the corn field.  A rail-fence ran between the field and the woods; and two of the boys, after lighting their lanterns, climbed over the fence, and the others waved their hands to the dogs, and ordered them to “hunt ’em up.”  Brave and Sport were off in an instant, and Lightfoot was close at their heels, mechanically following their motions, and evidently wondering at their strange movements.

The boys moved quietly along the fence, and, in a few moments, a quick, sharp yelp from Brave announced that he had started the first ’coon.  The boys cheered on the dogs, and presently a dark object appeared, coming at full speed through the corn, and passed, at a single bound, over the fence.  The dogs, barking fierce and loud at every jump, were close at his heels, and both they and the game speedily disappeared in the darkness.  The boys followed after, picking their way through the bushes with all possible speed.

The chase was a short one, for the dogs soon broke out in a regular, continuous barking, which announced that the ’coon was treed.  The hunters, guided by the noise, soon came in sight of them, standing at the foot of a small sapling.  Brave and Sport took matters very easily, and seemed satisfied to await the arrival of the boys, but Lightfoot had caught sight of the ’coon as he was ascending the tree, and was bounding into the air, and making every exertion to reach him.

Frank and Harry stood ready with their guns to shoot him, and the others held their lanterns aloft, and peered up into the top of the tree, to discover his hiding-place; but nothing could be seen of him.  The sapling had grown up rather high, and all objects outside of the circle of light made by their lanterns seemed to be concealed by Egyptian darkness.