Page:Redcoat (1927).djvu/117

mighty thunderer. This strange monster ran upon the two shiny sticks that Redcoat himself had often used when trying to elude the hounds. It was true that these sticks had the same smell that the old steel trap had, that Redcoat's sire had shown him, and also the woodcutter's axe, of which he had smelled when he was a pup. His sire had told him that this scent was very dangerous and to always keep away from it, but Redcoat had discovered for himself that these long, shiny sticks did him no harm when he traveled upon them and they held little or no scent for the hounds to follow. The great thunderer was often seen passing north and south beyond the broad river to the west of Redcoat's mountain. It was also seen a mile and a half to the north of the mountain beyond the Holcome farm. If it was night-time, the thunderer had a large bright eye in his head and it shone through the darkness far ahead of him along his strange trail. Also, there was a red light behind, but this was smaller and not as bright as the light ahead.