Where the Red Fern Grows Page #3

Just a little.

That's it.

You know,|Grandpa says in New England

everyone's going crazy|over coonskin coats.

- Is that right?|- So we should be getting a good price.

Well, I'll tell you what.

You can use the side of the smokehouse|wall if you think your hounds can cover it.

It ain't hardly big enough.

It's not, huh?

What are you gonna|do with all that money?

Well... you were always saying|how you could use another mule.

Well, you be careful|with this axe, son.

I put a fine edge on that hatchet.

It's for cutting down trees|with coons in, and that's it.

Yes, sir.

Look at them.|They're sure enough ready to go hunting.

Here's a little something|for when you get hungry.

Don't worry, Momma. I'll be fine.

Yeah, well, put this on.

I just don't understand why|you have to do your hunting at night.

Well, that's when|ringtails are up and about.

Come on, Billy. Better get going.

And good luck, son.

I expect to see a big coonskin on|the smokehouse wall in the morning, OK?

All right. See y'all in the morning.

- Bye, Billy.|- Bye, Billy.

I hope he'll be all right.

Will?

What are we going to do|about Uncle Fred's offer?

Oh, it'll take a miracle to get that|$1000 he's asking us to put down.

I mean, Uncle Fred|wants to go back East by springtime.

Well.

I suppose I can do some patchwork|and mending and such.

You're working your fingers|to the bone as it is.

Pretty as they are. I sure wish|I could have given you an easier life.

You're doing fine.

I just want my children to be able|to go to school so they can read and write.

And go to church.

I'm ashamed of you, little girl.

You let that ringtail fool you like this,|you'll never be a coonhound.

You either, Dan.

You'll never fool them again.|Not never.

Doggone.

All right.

Now, I made a promise and I'll keep it.

We'll get that coon,|whatever it takes.

Yeah.

Those dogs must have|thought I'd lost my marbles.

Anyone else would have.

I didn't know how I was gonna do it.|but a promise is a promise.

Billy. Billy.

Come on, son.

I couldn't come home.|My dogs put one up a tree.

Oh, that's a big sycamore.

Biggest in the whole river bottom.

There ain't no use cutting down|a tree like this just for one coon.

- Come on, Billy. Let's go home.|- I can't, Poppa.

You can't? Why?

I made a bargain with the dogs.

I told 'em if they|put one up a tree, I'd do the rest.

They done their part.|It's up to me to do mine.

Let me take a look at those hands.

- Does that hurt?|- It's all right.

You gonna cut down a tree like this,|Billy, you need a man-size axe.

- Here are my gloves.|- Thanks, Pa.

And before you swing that axe,|I want you to eat these eggs.

You can share the biscuits|with the hounds. OK?

All right.

Billy, can you handle this?

Yes, Grandpa.

Well, I guess every boy should have a tree|like this to chop down once in his lifetime.

We're gonna have|enough wood for three seasons.

You take care now, all right?

I just can't do it, little girl.

My strength's all gone.

Haven't I done my fair share?

Can't you help me a little?

Come on, Ann. Come on, Dan.

Ma always regretted the cap|she made me out of that first coonhide.

She said after that|I had raccoon on the brain.

Lucky for me. it turns out|the price we were getting for those skins

was turning what|I loved doing most in the world

into a whole lot of money for the family.

Meanwhile. me and my dogs|were getting known in those parts.

on account of bringing in|the most skins to Grandpa's store.

I tell you, I never seen|anything like it in my life.

When that male redbone|grabbed that raccoon by the tail,

he wasn't anywhere nears a tree.

- Is that right?|- That's right.

And last week, we sent|a bundle of furs like you wouldn't believe.

If they're as good as you say they are, you|ought to enter in that fall competition.

Might have a chance to win,|and find out how good they really are.

Oh, they're good. They're good.

- There's the boy now.|- Hey, Billy. How you doing?

Your grandpa's been|bragging up a storm about you, boy.

If you and your redbones|is half as good as he says,

I got a pesky ringtail out there been|getting into my chickens, stealing eggs.

- Could use your help one of these nights.|- Just tell me when.

Anytime this week.|How's Thursday night?

- That should be all right.|- All right. I gotta get going.

- All right. Take it easy.|- Barley's waiting in the field.

All righty.

- We'll see you later.|- All right.

Hey.

Where's them hounds|we been hearing so much about?

Back home.

- Ma needs a big sack of cornmeal.|- All righty.

Here you go. And here's the Pritchards'.

You boys need anything else?

Uh... gimme two plugs of tobacco.

- Little young for that, ain't you?|- It's for my pa.

Is them hounds of yours really as good|as the old man says they are?

My grandpa doesn't lie. Why?

Well, since you're so sure|of yourself, wanna make a bet?

- No.|- What's the matter? You chicken?

No. I just don't wanna.

Billy, get yourself a peppermint there.

- Sure this is for your pa?|- It's for my pa, all right.

Tobacco...

So what-

Now, what do you boys think you're doing?|What do you think you're doing in here?

Get out of my store, right now!

You're gonna have a fine time|explaining this to your pa.

Two plugs of tobacco he never seen.

I better get going.

Remember to tell your folks.|Sunday, supper at my place.

- OK.|- OK.

- Thanks.|- Take care now.

- See you on Sunday.|- OK.

Hey, Billy boy.|How you doing, you chicken?

Come on.

Come on, here we go. Come on.

- Come on!|- What's going on out here?

- Come on.|- Hey, hey!

Can't you Pritchards do|nothing but make trouble?

We ain't looking|to cause trouble. Just bet.

- Bet?|- Bet.

- On what?|- Well, we got a ringtail out near our place

that no dog's been|smart enough to tree yet.

Every time they think|they got him treed, he just disappears.

Twice as big as you ever saw,|and they call him the ghost coon.

We got $5 says yours dog can't tree him.

I know my dogs can tree him,|but we don't hold to betting.

Told you he was too chicken.

Wait there, whoa, whoa, hold it.|You say $5?

- $5.|- Just count Billy in on that.

- Grandpa.|- Now, you just take this. OK?

Hold onto that. You hold onto|your money, he'll hold onto his money.

But Grandpa, you said the Good Book|says a wager's a fool's argument.

The Good Book never had|to deal with no Pritchards.

This better be on the fair and square,|or I'll be talking to your pa.

Oh, it'll be fair. My pa would|beat us to a pulp if he caught us cheating.

'Bout meeting old Billy and his hounds|in our pasture today? Around sunset.

- I'll be there.|- He'll be there.

Don't forget the $5.

- Yeah.|- Hey, hey.

- We're gonna be rich.|- Easiest $5 I'll ever see.

You mean two.|I'm getting three, you know.

It was my idea.

Billy, I have never asked|nothing of no man on earth,

but I am asking you|to get that so-called ghost coon.

All right, all right.|Come here. Come here.

OK, you two. We gotta find this ghost coon|tonight, and show those Pritchards.

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