THE DUCK-FOOTED HOUND
By Jim Kjelgaard
ILLUSTRATED BY MARC SIMONT
THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY New York
Copyright © 1960 by Eddy Kjelgaard
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced in any form, except by a reviewer,
without the permission of the publisher.
Manufactured in the United States of America
by the Vail-Ballou Press, Inc., Binghamton, New York
Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 60-9160
First Printing
Old Joe was the biggest, fightingest, craftiest coon in the CreepingHills. No one had ever been able to catch him; not even Precious Sue, abluetick hound peerless in tracking down coons.
But Harky felt that this autumn the hunting would be different. Old Joewas in for trouble. Precious Sue had a pup who looked like anatural-born coon hunter. With his web-footed paws he was as skillful inthe water as any coon. And on land, Duckfoot had a nose that beat everyother hound hollow.
Harky had a few troubles of his own. First there was school. Miss Cathbywas nice, but she was a teacher. She called Old Joe a raccoon. And shesaid he could not live forever because he was mortal.
Then there were girls. More specifically, there was Melinda—thebossiest, uppitiest young lady for miles around. And she wanted tohunt.
Jim Kjelgaard's story of people and hounds captures all the glory andexcitement of coon hunting on a crisp autumn night. Marc Simont hasillustrated the story with wit and brilliance.
CONTENTS
| OLD JOE | 1 |
| HARKY | 16 |
| SUE | 31 |
| HARKY GOES FISHING | 46 |
| DUCKFOOT | 59 |
| THE SUMMER OF OLD JOE | 74 |
| MISS CATHBY | 89 |
| MELINDA | 106 |
| OLD JOE UP | 118 |
| THE FALL OF MUN | 132 |
| IMPASSE | 146 |
| HARKY'S PLOT | 158 |
| AUTUMN NIGHT | 172 |
THE DUCK-FOOTED HOUND
OLD JOE
At twenty minutes past nine on a Friday night, just after the dark ofmoon, an owl in the topmost branches of the huge hollow sycamore saw OldJoe come out of his den.
The ancient sycamore's trunk, rooted in gravel beside a brooding sloug