This makes
Unc' Fletch some riled, fer he wa'n't never a feller what can stand
bein' made a joke of, an' he thinks ther ghost in ther tree is havin'
fun with him."
"What did he do?" asked Ted, when Bud stopped and looked reflectively
into the fire.
"Well, he starts out ter make a fool out o' ther ghost, if it is a
ghost, er outer ther tree, if it is jest a tree what is triflin' with
him.
"He has his ax with him, fer every real coon hunter always carries an ax
ter chop down ther tree when he finds a coon in it. But he wa'n't goin'
ter chop down this tree none."
"What did he want with the ax, then?"
"I'll soon tell yer. First he chops down a small tree, an' he makes a
wedge with an edge erbout ther size o' yer little finger, an' he waits
until ther tree breathes ergin. Then he slips ther wedge in, an' hammers
it home.
"'Ha, ha!' says he ter ther tree, 'ye'll make monkey-shines with me,
holdin' me by ther coat tails, will yer?' An' all ther time he is
choppin' out another wedge, bigger than ther first.
"As he keeps choppin' out, an' shovin' bigger an' bigger wedges inter
ther crack, he hears noises comin' from ther tree like what he ain't
never heard before. But ther tree is beginnin' ter give out crackin'
noises, too, like as if it was splittin'.
"While this is goin' on Ballyhoo is makin' a terrible fuss, an' jest
tryin' ter tear ther tree down with his claws.
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