d quivering on his hind legs and faced his
enemy, his white needle-like fangs gleaming in two rows and his savage
fore-claws opening and closing with deadly threat.

The old warrior, taken completely by surprise by this new stratagem of
his foe, circled in a vain effort to reach the flank or rear. Each turn
only brought them again face to face, and at last he plunged straight on
the centre line of attack. With a quick side leap the coon struck the
dog's head a blow with his claw that split his ear for three inches as
cleanly and evenly as if a surgeon's knife had been used.

With a low growl of rage and pain, Boney wheeled and repeated his
assault with the same results for the other ear. He turned in silence
and deliberately crept toward his foe. There would be no chance for a
side blow. He wouldn't plunge or spring. He might get another bloody
gash, but he wouldn't miss again.

This time he found the body, they closed and rolled over and over in
close blood-stained grip. For the first time Tom's face showed doubts,
and he called to Dennis:

"Choke off two dogs from that fust coon an' throw 'em in here!"

They came in a moment and clinched with Boney's enemy. The charge of two
new troopers drove the coon to desperation. The sharp claws flew like
lightning. The new dogs ran back into the water with howls of pain and
scrambled up the bank to their old job.

Boney paid no attention either to the unexpected assault of his friends
or their ignoble desertion. Every ounce of his dog-manhood was up now.
It was a battle to the death and he had no wish to live if he couldn't
whip any coon that ever made a track in his path.

The Boy's pride was roused now and the fighting instinct that slumbers
in every human soul flashed through his excited eyes. He drew near and
watched with increasing excitement and joined with his father at last in
shouts and cheers.

"Did ye ever see such a dog!" he cried through his tears.

"He beats creation!" was the admiring answer.

The Boy bent low over the squirming pair and his voice was in perfect
tune with his dog's low growl:

"Eat him up, Bone! Eat him alive!"

"Don't touch 'em!" Tom warned. "Let 'im have a fair fight--ef he don't
kill that coon I'll eat 'im raw, hide an' hair!"

Boney had succeeded at last in fastening his teeth in a firm grip on the
coon's throat. He held it without a cry of pain while the claws ripped
his ears and gashed his head. Deeper and deeper sank his teet