dogs,
until old Quambo, waving his torch above his head, and suddenly stopping
short, shouted out, "De 'coon's treed!"

He had made a mistake, however, for the dogs bayed loudly and continued
their course.

"Dat a mighty old 'coon," cried Quambo. "He know what he about."

The raccoon, if it had got up the tree, had come down again, and was
still ahead. Some of the party were almost in despair; but I knew the
habits of the creature too well not to feel sure that we should get it
at last, so I encouraged my friends, while we dashed on as before.

Yelp and Snap, having kept well ahead of the other dogs, were now heard
baying under a big tree, and no doubt remained that the raccoon had
taken refuge amid its branches. Our difficulty was to get it down. As
the others hesitated to encounter the fierce little animal amid the
boughs, Mike, for the honour of "Old Ireland," offered to make his way
up. Without more ado, then, he got on Quambo's shoulders, sprang to a
branch within his reach, and was soon lost to sight among the foliage.

"I see him!" he shouted at last; and bits of bark, leaves, and rotten
twigs came rattling down, while the loud whacks of his stick reached our
ears. Presently there was a "flop;" the raccoon had been compelled to
evacuate its stronghold. The dogs once more gave chase; and I, torch in
hand, followed them. In less than a minute I came up with the dogs, and
found the creature at bay, its eyes flashing fire, while it bravely
faced the pack, which, with gnashing growls and savage yells, were about
to dash upon it, though each seemed unwilling to receive the first bite
from its sharp teeth. But, hearing the voices of their masters, they
gained courage, and in another instant had the poor animal struggling
vainly in their midst; while our blows came rattling down, to finish its
sufferings, and prevent them tearing its skin to pieces.

Such was one of several raccoon-hunts in which I took part.

The raccoon is about the size of a spaniel, and its colour is a blackish
grey. Its tail is short and bushy, and is marked with five or six
blackish rings on a grey ground. When the animal walks slowly, or sits,
it plants the soles of its feet upon the ground; but when in a hurry it
runs along on the tips of its toes. It hunts for its prey chiefly at
night, when it devours any small animals it can catch. It has no
objection, however, to a vegetable diet; and, indeed, its teeth show
that it is cap