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"The dog had now been silent for some time, and we were in hopes that another `varmint' might have stolen into the corn. "Our hopes were not doomed to disappointment. Pompo had scarcely entered the field when a second 'coon was sprung, which, like the other, ran directly for the fence and the woods.
"Thus accoutred, then, or rather taking these articles along with us, we set out for the bee-tree. Of course, everybody went as usual. We took with us the axe to cut down the tree, and several vessels to hold the honey. "On arriving at the glade, we loosed Pompo out of the cart; and picketed him as we had done the day before.
While Cudjo was felling the timber and cutting it into logs of a proper length, none of the rest of us were idle. In cooking our meals, scouring the vessels, and looking after the children, Mary found sufficient employment; while Frank, Harry, and I, with the help of our horse Pompo, were able to drag the logs forward to the spot where we had designed to put up the cabin.
Abe knew this well, and as we passed on, expressed his doubts about the result. "The bark of Pompo sounded some hundred yards off, in the very heaviest of the bottom timber. It was not likely, therefore, that the 'coon had taken to a small tree, while there were large ones near at hand.
Every day was fine in the clear, pure climate of our valley; so that, as soon as the cart was ready, we had a day to our liking. "We set out shortly after sunrise, with our hearts full of anticipated pleasure. Of course we all went Mary, the children, Cudjo, Pompo, dogs, and all. The house was again left to take care of itself.
Some say that he married Tatia alone, and was the father of one daughter only, named Pompilia; but others, besides her, assign to him four sons, named Pompo, Pinus, Calpus, and Mamercus, from whom descended the four noble families of the Pomponii, Pinarii, Calphurnii, and Mamerci, which for this reason took the title of Rex, that is, king.
"It proved to be so, and such a small one that, on coming up, we saw the animal squatted upon the branches, not twenty feet from the ground. "We were now sure of him, as we thought; and I had raised my gun to fire; when all at once, as if guessing my intent, the 'coon sprang into another tree, and then ran down to the ground and off again, with Pompo veiling in his track.
I had seized my gun, and both barrels were emptied in a `squirrel's jump. Two of the 'coons came to the ground, badly wounded. Pompo tackled another, that had run down the lliana, and was attempting to get off; while Abe with his axe clove the skull of a fourth, that had tried to escape in a similar manner.
"I proposed to my wife that I should take Pompo, and endeavour to penetrate the settlements of New Mexico where I could obtain either mules, horses, or oxen. These I should bring back to our valley, and keep them until we required them for carrying us out of the Desert. Mary would not listen to this proposal.
Sometimes the hunter climbs after and forces him to leap out, so as to fall into the very jaws of the watchful dog below. "In Abe's opinion Pompo would have `treed' his 'coon before reaching, the bottom, had not the fence interfered, but now "`Told ye so, massa! muttered he, interrupting my thoughts. `Look dar! dar's de tree trunk thick as a haystack. Wagh!
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