But," he added, "finding where the 'coons have been and catching them are two very different things." "What do you mean ?" inquired Archie, "You don't pretend to say that the 'coons are not in the tree ?" "Certainly I do.

I wouldn't be afraid to stake Brave against any little cur in the village that the 'coon the dogs have just followed here is the only one in the tree." "What makes you think so ?" "Why, now is their feeding-time, and all the 'coons in this part of the woods are in the cornfield.

It wouldn't pay to cut down this big tree for one 'coon; so let's go home and go to bed, and early to-morrow morning we will come back here and bag our game." The boys agreed to this, and they whistled to their dogs, and started through the woods toward home.
The next morning, at the first peep of day, they again set out, and in half an hour arrived at the 'coon-tree.
The boys knew that they had something to accomplish before they could secure their game, but they were not the ones to shun hard work.

They had frequently cut down trees for a single 'coon, and they felt confident that there were at least three of the animals in the tree, and they were willing to work for them.
Archie and George were armed, as on the preceding night, with axes, and, after pulling off their coats, they placed themselves on opposite sides of the tree, and set manfully to work.

Harry and Frank stood by, ready to take their places when they grew tired, and the dogs seated themselves on the ground close by, with their tongues hanging out of the sides of their mouths, and now and then giving vent to an impatient whine.
The boys worked for an hour and a half--taking their turns at chopping--almost without speaking.