CHAPTER 1 Hunting September 10 1909 My nose twitches I am on the scent of rabbit on the brush and quail in the tall grass The rab bit trail winds into a mound of thorns When I poke my head underneath the branches the perfume of ripe blackberries makes me drool I pluck a few from the ends with my teeth until the thorns prick my ears and I scuttle out Then I catch another smell It’s sharp and heavy and I don’t recognize the critter The track zigzags into tall grass and I follow it Finder’s a straddler like Daisy was a voice says behind me That means he works with his nose to
Alison Hart the ground Not like a drifter who catches scent from the air Straddlers are slower but the wind don’t bother them Our Daisy could scent a possum in a storm That’s Uncle speaking We’re training or at least that’s what he calls it Me I’m just letting my nose lead me The pungent smell grows thicker as I come to a fallen tree The trunk is rotten the bark shredded as if animals have been scratching on it 2
Finder Coal Mine Dog What do you think Finder’s hunting That voice belongs to my friend Thomas We’ve both lived at Aunt and Uncle Eddy’s house since early winter Thomas arrived shortly after I left my littermates at Campbell’s farm Uncle trains me Aunt scolds me Thomas loves me Could be rabbit or possum Or maybe the coon that keeps ripping down the corn stalks Uncle tells him Let’s hope the cur can do his job and keep his mind on the scent this time Uncle’s words are curt I try hard but too often I don’t please him A hunt ing dog needs gumption Daisy had it he adds his voice catching when he says her name Finder’s just a pup Thomas says quickly He’s still learning Uncle snorts By nine months Daisy was treeing varmints without a command he says She didn’t have to be trained knew it instinctively If Finder 3
