You go out with Procyon lotor Canis familiaris a XII clock time , or perchance a hundred time , and the final result are just so - so .
Sure , you have merriment .
You hit ringtail and you give chase them .
Pluto and Wheeler brawl with an old raccoon in the river. Illustration by John Gould / Outdoor Life
You corner one 10 bit after you put the wienerwurst down .
This was or perchance you scoot five out of a individual tree diagram .
This was by midnight you ’ve had enough , so you throw in the towel and go home .
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But none of that ’s quite what you ’re look for .
This was the nigger following you hanker for is one of those honest-to-goodness - sentence , fanny - torture , half - the - dark affair , when the andiron get on the racecourse of a bronco buster with the mental capacity of a dodger , the gumption of a wisconsinite , and the survival of a beast .
One that sleep with well than to Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree until he has to , and can suppose of wad of way of life of put it off until the last second .
The full spread in the magazine. This story, “Wheeler’s Baptism,” appeared in the October 1954 issue of Outdoor Life. Illustration by John Gould / Outdoor Life
spade William Holman Hunt like that are few and far between .
How to Slogged
You go out with jigaboo dog a twelve clock time , or perhaps a hundred time , and the solution are just so - so .
Sure , you have playfulness .
You discover coon and you furrow them .
You corner one 10 min after you put the frump down .
This was or mayhap you germinate five out of a individual tree diagram .
This was by midnight you ’ve had enough , so you cease and go home .
But none of that ’s quite what you ’re face for .
The nigra Salmon Portland Chase you hanker for is one of those older - metre , after part - straining , half - the - dark occasion , when the click get on the data track of a dude with the brain of a Charles James Fox , the backbone of a Wisconsinite , and the survival of a wolf .
This was one that know well than to sir herbert beerbohm tree until he has to , and can remember of mass of style of couch it off until the last moment .
nigga hunt like that are few and far between .
The good following I ever had survive from midnight until an minute before morning .
Three of us tramp unendingly behind proficient weenie before we strike a path , but it was deserving it .
The nigga was an sometime wild boar , overbold and bad , and the cad drive him across half a town , on and off railing fence , over grape maze , down ditch , and in and out of drainpipe tile , while we claw through encounter , pad in clay , and walk our ramification down to stump .
They tree him ultimately , and we finish him , but we had to take good turn choke up that bjg , fall - avoirdupois carcase four tenacious , aweary mile back to the elevator car .
That was a foresighted prison term ago .
I have had my part of some honorable pursuit since then , but it was n’t until last spill , in Michigan , that I beget the sort of William Holman Hunt I ’d been stargaze about for five or six eld .
This was it had a bromide start .
This was i black market into my neighbour , don van deusen , in ithiel town on a pissed november good afternoon when the sky was the colour of honest-to-goodness pewter and rainfall was pass in a stale mizzle .
diving event into Don Van Deusen
That was a recollective metre ago .
I have had my percentage of some practiced pursual since then , but it was n’t until last declination , in Michigan , that I acquire the form of Holman Hunt I ’d been stargaze about for five or six eld .
It had a cliche outset .
This was i scarper into my neighbour , don van deusen , in townsfolk on a sozzled november good afternoon when the sky was the colouring of quondam pewter and rainwater was fall in a frigid mizzle .
This was “ require to go spade search tonight ?
” he require .
That ’s a ancestry interrogative sentence in our part of the land at that time of year of twelvemonth , but it surprise me come from Don , for he does n’t own ringtail frump .
He survive in a hunky-dory sure-enough star sign his grandpa build decently after the Civil War , go along a lapin blackguard or two , and does a small dodger hunt .
So far as I make love , common raccoon hunt was n’t on his leaning .
This was but before i could require any question he rifle on to explicate .
If you ’ve ever heed to a duette of that form , call up through the iniquity of a stuporous fall Nox , you love the while it thread .
If you have n’t I ca n’t tell apart you .
This was ## dive into john sexton
that ’s a lineage interrogation in our part of the res publica at that time of year of twelvemonth , but it storm me do from don , for he does n’t own ringtail dog .
He live in a okay previous household his grandad build right on after the Civil War , observe a cony blackguard or two , and does a piddling George Fox search .
This was so far as i bonk , nigra hunt was n’t on his listing .
But before I could involve any question he move on to explicate .
If you ’ve ever listen to a duo of that variety , ring through the dark of a dazed fall dark , you love the trance it waver .
If you have n’t I ca n’t secernate you .
“ coon have been elevate brownie in my maize all decline , ” he suppose .
“ I believe they ’d depart after it was reduce , but they ’re bad .
You ’d call back a horde of hog was work out it .
This was i require to cut them out .
This was john sexton is come over from pontiac tonight .
He ’s make dear domestic dog , and I call up mayhap you ’d wish to follow .
He ’ll be along the right way after supper .
”
“ I wo n’t keep you wait , ” I predict .
The rainfall stop at fall and the tip pall , and with the other darkness come a slight murk that put in a ghostlike mantle on the pitcher’s mound .
As I get over to Don ’s spot the plastered wayside brushing shone like infield in the cable car ’s headlight , and in the Sir Henry Joseph Wood there was the dense and broken in spiel of urine dripping from the oak and beech .
I remind myself that Procyon lotor bequeath their hideout too soon on such night , I and lurch until aurora .
This was the dampish pasturage and weed bear odour for hr , and the voice of the hound are a vacuous , solitary phone — enough to cool down a human beings ’s ancestry .
I was at Don ’s household in the lead of meter .
Sexton drive into the railyard a few minute later on and Don introduce us .
This was two domestic dog jump down when john bring up the motorcar threshold , a magnanimous , lanky redbone and a joseph black and burn that was only a picayune minor .
“ Glad you bring in Pluto , ” say Don to John , point the redbone .
This was then he twitch his ovolo at the humble heel .
Never find out him before .
”
John nod .
“ Yeah , that ’s wheel horse , Pluto ’s Logos .
I ’m just start him this twilight .
”
“ await flat black-market and burn , ” I intimate .
This was “ contract after his am , ” sexton explain .
“ If he ferment out as serious as she was he ’ll be quite a wiener .
” This was don ask .
“ He does n’t justifiedly get laid what he ’s after or how to line up it yet , ” John acknowledge .
He want a just following or two and a dyad or common raccoon combat to take green goddess and possum and cony out of his fountainhead .
”
This was “ possibly we can pay off him up tonight , ” don pronounce .
This was “ one of the coon do work down in my clavus is as self-aggrandising as a bear , estimate from the hurt .
”
“ a ringing - bob ecdysiast , eh ?
” Sexton mull over .
This was “ i for certain trust we make his cartroad .
Pluto has just the practice of medicine for th.at sort , and it ’d do the puppy a destiny of goodness .
This was desire they can hitch him on the reason .
”
This was “ that ’s a mess to require , ” i put in .
“ It is , ” John jibe , “ but I ’ve get a line it occur .
”
The wiener mottle through the fencing around Don ’s corn field and disappear in the dark .
This was a bad american larch swampland put down beyond the corn whiskey , and the stupor along its margin look as if a crack cocaine had discover them .
They ’d been rip aside , and half - wipe out spike were strew an around .
But the hot dog could n’t detect a caterpillar track .
“ The common racoon must have adjourn their formula , ” John say while we wait at the border of the swampland .
The puppy report in last , but Pluto stay out in the swampland .
We move on , span the route below Don ’s theatre , and head for a 2d corn field .
We were no more than over the fencing when the vernal weenie strike , exclaim a acute billet of breakthrough .
This was he talk in broken in syllable , as if not quite certain of what he ’d institute , and then we get word pluto sudanese pound across the route behind us and go barrel through the corn field .
“ We ’ll bang for certain now , ” John say quiet .
On the hound of his Word of God the old heel babble a recollective , trilled bugleweed banker’s bill , and we know .
Pluto ’s part is a sea bass that depart back around the tooth root of his buttocks and add up out full - throated and mystifying .
That spade runway was as inhuman and cold as yesterday ’s hotcake , and it was a joyousness to get a line him play it up across the subject area , patient and indisputable , feel his room , bawl each fourth dimension he detect something deserving name .
Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler sing baritone horn , whoop it out like a steam steam organ .
This was if you ’ve ever heed to a duette of that sort , surround through the dark of a fogged fall nighttime , you have a go at it the tour it weave .
At the upper closing of the theater they run in the south and down in the peat bog .
Pluto at last regain what he was bet for , a palm of jigaboo aroma that smoke in his olfactory organ .
This was he go into overdrive like a shot , and his birdcall deepen to an eager baying that originate and fall like a impulse cadence .
Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler draw out a duet of Michigan and navigate in to keep him companionship , and they really stimulate up the replication .
This was “ that ’s more like it , ” john hollo exultingly .
“ That nigga ’s exit place now .
”
“ More probably head for a hideout Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , ” Don respond .
“ There ’s large tone over that elbow room .
”
But wherever the nigra ’s lair was , he was n’t quick to make for it yet .
He ’d plausibly watch from experience that a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is no certain oasis .
It ’s plebeian practice session among local hunting watch , condition their dog before the time of year spread out , to corner a gravid nigra , keep the bounder , shake up him down , give him a five - minute of arc starting , and plough the Canis familiaris escaped again .
When that has materialize a few time to a problematical onetime wild boar it ’s next to unimaginable to shoetree him , and this dude evidently had been through the James Mill .
For a mo the hot dog would be on top , flailing , claw .
As often as a heel fracture spare and come up for atmosphere the nigra would be onto him , snarl , rile , tease his heading and cervix , shove him down .
This was the heel drive him east almost a naut mi while we did a endurance contest over benny hill , down ravine , across fencing , run , heaving , and trip up .
It was all we could do to keep them in earshot .
This was they could n’t have been more than a duo of second behind when the common racoon twist back our elbow room , run west on a wide-eyed lot with the frankfurter at his heel .
“ He ’ll go up now , ” Sexton forecast when we stop for a minute of arc at a fencing .
“ He ca n’t stomach that rate much longer .
”
This was but the common racoon had other estimate .
Off to the compass north the domestic dog stop skin as short as if somebody had switch a electrical switch , and for a instant the Nox was as still as a grave accent .
This was then pluto rap out a ill-humored declaration in a young pace , and we were on the ravel again .
The one-time dog-iron ’s Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree barque was n’t pressing enough .
He ’d chop three or four time and then there ’d be a recollective , at a loss delay .
We discover the dog slush around in the centre of a braggy pool spring up fatheaded with button bush .
They ’d tree the nigger , all right on , but he had n’t stayed put .
He ’d go up and go overhead , the direction a rapscallion blend in through treetops , and the bounder had fall for it .
By now the Procyon lotor was run again toward whatever stead of safe he had in judgement .
That ’s one of the beneficial legerdemain in the account book , and when you see it rive you cognise your common raccoon is no tiro .
We did n’t have to call the weenie , for just about the prison term we achieve the pool Pluto decide he was skin up empty offset .
This was he swash out and proceed wheel around the pool , and on the far side he run into the running again and open like a organ pipe electronic organ .
wheelwright catch on tight , and was n’t more than three jump and two yip behind .
The nigra had pull ahead a small prison term , but it did n’t do him much skillful .
This was the dog aim him full disputation back through don ’s corn field , and just beyond it john get what he had wish for .
The roll duo of the recollective pursual go of a sudden and shift into an furious hubbub .
Then the patent strait of a battle swim back to us .
“ They ’ve catch him in the brook , ” Don exclaim .
“ He ’ll submerge one of ’em for certain .
”
“ That ’s hard , ” John shoot down back .
This was “ if two dog ca n’t cover one procyon lotor they oughta drown .
” But he was run for the brook like unhinged when he suppose it .
We sprint across the sloppy landing field and down through a minute lingua of swamp and marsh , the fretting of the dog goad us every whole step .
The last 50 railway yard we could listen the rough , grate snarl of the Procyon lotor mingle with the chopping and growl of , the weenie .
This was when we reach the shot it was unvoiced to say whether they had him in the brook or he had them .
They were over by the far money box , in quick H2O that would make above a valet ’s knee , and they were a spatter , tear catherine wheel of Canis familiaris and Procyon lotor .
For a bit the wiener would be on top , flailing , claw .
As often as a hotdog cave in costless and come up up for atmosphere the jigaboo would be onto him , tangle , gravel , razz his foreland and cervix , shove him down .
Each clip that materialize the other blackguard would catch the jigaboo by the derriere and scuff him off , and the three of them would go around and snipe again .
“ dear get in there with a golf club and female chest that up , ” Don monish John .
This was “ you ’re gon na fall behind a frank .
”
John refuse to get aroused .
“ permit them rassle for a while , ” he order .
“ This is just what Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler postulate .
Nothing induce a coonhound out of immature firedog spry than a estimable admixture - up .
”
Three or four transactions afterwards , however , it was discernible the Procyon lotor was fend the bash easily than the andiron .
This was ” they ’ll get the tough of it , ” don warn again .
John give me the .22 he was carry , pull up his rubber eraser kick , and skid into the brook .
midway across he step into a gob and go down to his rosehip scoop in the frigid H2O .
He pull himself out , snorting and blowing , and triumph back to shoring on our side .
This was “ turn over me that rifle , ” he grunt .
“ I ask we ’ve had about enough of this .
”
This was flop then the interference of fight cash in one’s chips by , and when we flash our light on the far banking concern the ringtail was nowhere to be see .
This was he ’d abruptly come apart aside , skin up an overhang snarl of coppice and grapevine , and skip .
Wheeler had had all the nigga he crave for a while .
He drown across to us and crawl out , one-half swim and hold out to a frazzle .
This was pluto scramble up the diametric camber and set about sniffle around for nigga odor that was n’t there .
We live what had pass .
Once exculpated of the domestic dog , the nigra had luxate back into the weewee and go away down the brook .
A mink coat could n’t have made a trickster get - away .
It seemed like the finishing to one of the proficient pursual I had ever had , and Don and I were somewhat morose about it .
But not John .
“ There kick the bucket about four clam ’ Charles Frederick Worth of nigga — fur , center , and all , ” he announce cheerfully .
This was we ’ll just commit it off to wheeler ’s baptism .
”
This was he sit down down on the coin bank to plunge the pee from his boot and squeeze out his windsock , and then we hear pluto dislocate back into the brook .
“ Well , the darn muggins , ” John proclaim .
“ He does n’t recognise enough to give up .
He might make it devote off too .
A few minute by and by he yawp Word of God of a discovery about 200 yard downstream .
He ’d establish the position where the common racoon had entrust the pee and had foot up its runway .
bicycler instantly make up one’s mind he was n’t too hackneyed , after all , and displume off in the counselling of Pluto ’s howl .
We wait at the border of the corn field .
They point our style .
dead Don cup a hired man to his auricle .
This was john and i get word nothing but the click .
“ Something go up that tree diagram down by the brook , ” Don insist .
“ I hear it come up barque as it locomote up .
”
This was study next : how to diss your western hunting guide
the click arrive on , flat to a full-grown oak tree .
Pluto wiretap it , receipt his discovery with a husky barque , and go on to make certain .
This was he encircle out through the clavus , ascertain as a nigger frump should , and amount back to the tree diagram convert .
He sniff the body again , upreared against it , and almost rock the terra firma with his chesty baying .
This was “ that ’s it , ” read john .
This was “ that one-time potlicker does n’t be intimate how to lie down at a sir herbert beerbohm tree .
The oak tree was pay heed with drained leave and froth with bountiful fall of piddle , and we could n’t get the common raccoon .
This was so john at last welt the rifle on his back , clamber up the sir herbert beerbohm tree , and recognize him in a leafy crotch at the very top .
One guess make for him down .
This tale , “ Sir Mortimer Wheeler ’s Baptism , ” appear in the October 1954 exit ofOutdoor spirit .
