ly with wet gunpowder, and tied them into a loose, fluffy
ball, on the end of a length of salmon-twine. Then, having thrown the
rope over the limb of the sycamore, he held both ends, and sent the
hired boy up into the tree, where he sat astride, grinning and
expectant, and peered into the well-worn hole.

"Now," said the farmer, tossing the ball of rags up to him, "light
this 'ere spittin' devil, an' lower it into the hole, an' we'll see
what's what!"

As he spoke, he turned, and gave the schoolmaster a slow wink, which
quickened the latter's expectations. The next moment the boy had set a
match to the rags, and they were ablaze with wild sputterings and jets
of red flame. Eagerly, but carefully, he lowered the fiery ball into
the hole, paying out the string till it was evident that the tree was
hollow almost down to the butt.

Suddenly there was a wild commotion of squeals, grunts, and
scratchings in the depths of the invaded hole. The sounds rose swiftly
up the inside of the trunk. Then there was an eruption at the mouth of
the hole. A confusion of furry forms shot forth, with such violence
that the startled boy almost lost his balance. As it was, he backed
away precipitately along the branch, amid derisive encouragement from
his friends below.

Having eluded, for the moment, the flaming invader of their home, the
raccoons paused on the limb to survey the situation.

"Fling 'em down to us," jeered the farmer, hugely amused at the boy's
dismay.

The latter grinned nervously, and started forward as if to obey. But
at this moment the raccoons made their decision. The dogs and men
below looked more formidable than the hesitating boy astride of their
branch. In a resolute line, their fierce old mother leading, they made
for him.

The boy backed away with awkward alacrity, but still keeping his hold
on the salmon-twine. Consequently, by the time he had nearly reached
the end of the limb, the still sputtering fire-ball emerged from the
hole in the crotch. At the sound of it behind them the young raccoons
turned in terror, and straightway dropped from the tree; but the old
mother, undaunted, darted savagely upon her foe. The boy gave a cry of
fear. The next instant there was a spiteful crack from the
schoolmaster's little rifle. The old raccoon stopped, shrank, and
rolled lifeless from the limb.

Meanwhile, the youngsters were in a _melee_ with the two dogs. Though
little more than three-fourths grown, they had cou