The Duck-footed Hound

Old Joe was the biggest, fightingest, craftiest coon in the Creeping Hills. No one had ever been able to catch him; not even Precious Sue, a bluetick hound peerless in tracking down coons.

But Harky felt that this autumn the hunting would be different. Old Joe was in for trouble. Precious Sue had a pup who looked like a natural-born coon hunter. With his web-footed paws he was as skillful in the water as any coon. And on land, Duckfoot had a nose that beat every other hound hollow.

Harky had a few troubles of his own. First there was school. Miss Cathby was nice, but she was a teacher. She called Old Joe a _rac_coon. And she said he could not live forever because he was mortal.

Then there were girls. More specifically, there was Melinda--the bossiest, uppitiest young lady for miles around. And she wanted to hunt.

Jim Kjelgaard's story of people and hounds captures all the glory and excitement of coon hunting on a crisp autumn night. Marc Simont has illustrated the story with wit and brilliance.