The Long Hillside | Page 4

in it, and put on another cap
which he had first examined with great care to impress us. "Now, let a
ole hyah git up," he said, with a shake of his head. "She got man ready
for her, she ain't got you chil-lern." The words were scarcely spoken
when a little darkey called out, "Dyah she come!" and sure enough she
came, "lipping" down a furrow straight toward us. Uncle Limpy-Jack
was on that side of the ditch and Milker-Tim was near him armed only
with a stout well-balanced stick about two feet long. As the hare came
down the hill, Uncle Jack brought up his gun, took a long aim and fired.
The weeds and dust flew up off to one side of her, and she turned at
right angles out of the furrow; but as she got to the top of the bed,
Milker-Tim, flinging back his arm, with the precision of a bushman,
sent his stick whirling like a boomerang skimming along the ground
after her.
Tim with a yell rushed at her and picked her up, shouting, "I got her! I
got her!"
Then Uncle Limpy-Jack pitched into him: "What you doin' gittin' in my
way!" he complained angrily. "Ain' you got no better sense 'n to git in
my way like dat! Did n' you see how nigh I come to blowin' yo' brains
out! Did n' you see I had de hyah when you come pokin' yer wooly
black head in my way! Ef I had n' flung my gun off, whar 'd you 'a'
been now! Don' you come pokin' in my way ag'in!"
Tim was too much elated to be long affected by even this severity, and
when he had got out of Uncle Jack's way he sang out:

"Ole Molly Hyah, You' ears mighty thin. Yes, yes, yes, I come
a-t'ippin' thoo de win'!"
So far the honors were all Uncle Jack's and Milker-Tim's, and it was
necessary for the rest of us to do something. Accordingly, the bottom
having been well hunted, the crowd struck out for an old field over the
hill, known as "the long hillside." It was thick in hen-grass and
broom-straw, and sloped down from a piece of pine with a southern
exposure on which the sun shone warm. We had not reached it before a
hare jumped out of a bush near Charlie. In a few moments, another
bounced out before one of the dogs and went dashing across the field.
Two shots followed her; but she kept on till at last one of the boys
secured her.
We were going down the slope when Peter called in great excitement,
"Heah a ole hyah settin' in her haid. Come heah, Dan, quick! Gi' me
your gun; le' me git him!"
This was more than Dan bargained for, as he had not got one himself
yet. He ran up quickly enough, but held on tightly to his gun.
"Where is he? Show him to me: I 'll knock him over."
As he would not give up the gun, Peter pointed out the game.
"See him?"
"No."
"Right under dat bush--right dyah" (pointing). "See him? Teck keer
dyah, Don, teck keer," he called, as Don came to a point just beyond.
"See him?" He pointed a black finger with tremulous eagerness.
No, Dan did not see, so he reluctantly yielded up the gun.
Peter took aim long and laboriously, shut both eyes, pulled the trigger,
and blazed away.

There was a dash of white and brown, a yell, and Don wheeled around
with his head between his forepaws stung by the shot as "molly" fled
streaking it over the hill followed only by the dogs.
Peter's face was a study. If he had killed one of us he could not have
looked more like a criminal, nor have heard more abuse.
Uncle Limpy-Jack poured out on him such a volume of vituperation
and contempt that he was almost white, he was so ashy.
Don was not permanently hurt; but one ear was pierced by several shot,
which was a serious affair, as his beauty was one of his good points,
and his presence on a hare-hunt was wholly against the rules. Uncle
Limpy-Jack painted the terrors of the return home for Peter with a
vividness so realistic that its painfulness pierced more breasts than
Peter's.
Don was carried to the nearest ditch, and the entire crowd devoted itself
to doctoring his ear. It was decided that he should be taken to the
quarters and kept out of sight during the Christmas, in the hope that his
ear would heal. We all agreed not to say anything about it if not
questioned. Uncle Limpy-Jack had to be bribed into silence by a liberal
present of shot and powder from