esume no mischief will come of it."

A barking of dogs announced the approach of the guests. Four lean hounds,
brown and yellow, baying and straining at their leashes, tore up the
hill. Already the keen mountain air stirred them. Br'er Possum and Br'er
Coon were even now placidly eating their suppers. The dogs longed to be
at the night's business.

While the young people feasted inside the cabin, the men who were to
conduct the hunt prepared the pine torches to light them on their way.

"You feel sure this is a proper expedition, Mr. Latham?" asked Aunt
Sallie nervously. She was standing at the door, waiting to see the party
start off. "Hugh," she called at the last minute, "promise me to look
after Ruth and Grace. Don't get separated from them, or I shall never
forgive you. Ralph, I trust you to take care of Mollie and Bab."

But Reginald Latham was standing near Miss Stuart and overheard her
instructions to the two boys.

"Oh, I say, Miss Stuart," he quizzed in the affected fashion that so
angered Mollie, "can't you trust me to look after Miss Thurston? I have a
score to pay back to her for her rescue of me in my airship."

Mollie put her arm in Ralph's as they walked out the door together.
"Don't mind that Latham man," she whispered. "I can't see why Bab likes
him. See, they are starting off together."

The great horn blew; the dogs barked violently.

Twenty people, each carrying a pine torch, lit up the shadows of the
quiet woods.

"When I count three," said Mr. Latham to the keepers, "you can let the
dogs go."

One! two! three! and the hounds were off, their noses pointed along the
ground, their tails standing out straight behind them.

"Is coon hunting a cruel sport, Ralph?" Mollie inquired. "If it is, I
would rather stay home."

"I don't know; this is my first experience," Ralph replied. "But hurry
along, little girl!"

"Hurrah! The dogs have a coon on the run!" shouted some one in front. A
poor old coon had been driven from his comfortable hollow tree, and was
running for his life over the hard ground, pursued by excited dogs. Close
behind followed the hunters with their horns. And, tumbling over one
another rushing pell-mell after them, came the crowd of heedless young
people. The party separated. Two of the dogs tracked another coon.

"I half hope Mr. Coon will win this race!" panted Barbara, close behind
Reginald Latham. "Remember Uncle Remus says, 'Br'er Coon, he was wunner
deze here natchul