n
could judge, in the dim light of evening, the animal was as large as a
good-sized dog. The "lucivee," or _loup-cervier_, is the lynx
Canadensis, which ordinarily attains a weight of no more than
twenty-five pounds, but occasionally grows larger and displays great
fierceness and courage.

I made haste home and calling Addison out, asked him whether that
strange cry which still issued at intervals from the woodland, over
towards the Aunt Hannah lot, was made by the much dreaded "lucivee." He
laughed and was disposed to play on my fears for a while, but at length
told me that it was nothing more savage than a 'coon. The wild note had
struck a singularly responsive fiber within me; and to this day I never
hear a raccoon's hollow cry at night, without a sudden recurrence of the
same eerie sensation.

About this time we all became much interested in the approaching Cattle
Show, which was to be held at the Fair Grounds, near the village, during
the last week of September. Thomas bantered me strongly to raise two
dollars and go into partnership with him in an old horse which he knew
of and which he desired to buy and enter for the "slow race." The horse
could be purchased for three or four dollars and was so very stiff in
the knees as to be almost certain of winning the "slow race," thereby
securing a "purse" of ten dollars.

What with Thomas' enthusiasm, this looked to me, at the time, to be a
very alluring investment. Tom had also another scheme for winning the
"purse" of the "scrub race," where every kind of animal took the track
at one and the same time. The Harland boys--where we went to mill--owned
a large mongrel dog that had been taught to haul a little cart. He was
known to be a fast runner; and Tom had intelligence that he was in the
market, at a price of two dollars. If we could secure him, there was
little doubt that the scrub-race purse would easily drop into our hats.
I had to confess to doubts whether the Old Squire would consent to my
embarking in such speculations.

"But you needn't show in it," said Tom quietly. "I'll do all the trading
and keep them over at our barn." The way being thus opened to a silent
partnership, I began a canvass of all my assets.

Thomas was also intending to enter a colt and a yoke of yearling steers
for the premiums on those classes of animals. Addison intended to enter
one of the Old Squire's yokes of steers; and Tom acknowledged to me that
his own chance was slim on steers,