At length they began to long for winter, and many were the speculations as to when the “first fell of snow” would come.  Their traps were all in order, and they were impatient for an opportunity to make use of them.  Besides, they had agreed with George and Harry to “go fox-hunting the very first time there was snow enough for tracking.”

A week more passed, and Thanksgiving Day came; and in the evening Frank and his cousin went down to visit George and Harry, intending, as they said, to “stay only a few minutes.”  But Mr. Butler soon came in, and began to relate some of his “sailor yarns,” as he called them (for he was a retired sea-captain), and the boys became so interested in listening to them, that they did not notice how rapidly the time flew by, and it was ten o’clock before they knew it.  They then bade the Captain “good-night.”  George and Harry, as usual, agreed to accompany them part of the way, and, when they reached the door, what was their surprise to find the ground white with snow, and the air filled with the rapidly-falling flakes.

“We’ll have that fox-hunt to-morrow,” exclaimed Harry, in delight.

“Of course we will,” said Archie, “and I wouldn’t take ten dollars for my chance of catching one.”

“You mean, if the snow doesn’t melt,” said Frank, quietly.

“Oh, that’s always the way with you,” said Archie.  “What makes you try to throw cold water on all our expectations, in that way?”

“I didn’t intend to,” answered Frank, with a laugh; “but, you know, we have been disappointed very often.”

“Yes,” said George, “but I guess we are all right this time.  It snows pretty fast, and the air doesn’t feel like a thaw or rain.”

Frank acknowledged this; and they walked along, talking about the exciting times they expected to have on the morrow, until they reached the “big elm”—­a large tree that stood leaning over the creek, just half-way between Captain Butler’s and where Frank lived.  Here George and Harry stopped, and, after promising to be at the cottage early on the following morning, turned their faces homeward.

CHAPTER XVII.

The Grayhound Outgeneraled.

The next morning, at an early hour, George and Harry arrived at the cottage, and, after a light and hastily-eaten breakfast, they set out.  Frank and Harry were armed, as usual, with their guns, while the others carried axes.  They crossed the meadow at the back of the orchard, passed through the cornfield which had been the scene of the ’coon-hunt, a few weeks before, and struck out through the woods.  The dogs were then sent out ahead, and they had not gone more than half a mile, when Sport uttered a long, loud howl, and, when the boys came up with him, he was running impatiently about with his nose close to the ground.

“A fox has been along here,” said Frank, bending over and examining a track in the snow, “and the trail looks fresh.”