CALLUM-THE HUNTER

Evening Star, Issue 20422, 1 March 1930, Page 9

CALLUM-THE HUNTER

A GOOD-NIGHT TALE Callum is a handsome Scotch terrier. His coat is black and rough. He has a pair of bright black eyes and the wisest face you ever saw. But he isn't nearly so wiso as he looks. If yo,u say “ Walk ” to him he gets quite excited, and jumps about your feet and pretends to bite your ankles. He always wants to go to the golf links, although he has been told many times that the notice says “No dogs ah lowed.”

The reason he likes the golt course is that there are rabbit boles in it; Callum is quite sure that some day ho will catch a rabbit. His master and mistress tell him that if he wants to be useful he should try to catch mice. Cailum cocks his head to one side and gazes at the mouse holes, but nothing happens One day he followed his mistress who went to call on the lady next door. This lady had been reading the newspaper. When she saw her visitors she jumped up and made Callum’s mistress sit in her cosy chair by the fire. Her newspaper fell on the floor. _ Callum, who had crept under the chair, sniffed it and then decided to have a nap. He never knew if he dreamed it or if someone said “ Mice.” Anyway Callum was now wide awake, looking in astonishment at the fallen paper. It was moving! Someone was pulling it about, rustling it and tearing it. A mouse, of course! Very cautiously he crept nearer to the mysterious paper. He kept his eyes fixed on one particular corner. By the rustling he knew that that was the place where the mouse was hidden. “ 1 must bo careful,” ho said to himself, and ciept nearer still. The hidden creature must have heard him, for a small furry paw darted out and. “’Woof!” Callum got a soft blow on his nose. Next instant there was nothing to be seen. Callum lowered his head and peered anxiously at the mystery. He uttered a soft little grunt. “Did you speak?” asked the unseen. Then appeared a pair of bright eyes looking slyly over the edge of the paper. Out came a and Callum received another cuff. '

“Curiouser and curiouser,” thought Callum. Although ho had got two Wows, he had a feeling that they were given in a friendly manner. “ Let’s have a game,” he said, and wagged his tail. Like lightning the hidden animal hurled itself at him and spat in his face! Callum retreated backwards. But lie still thought this strange creature wanted to play a game. So he siad “Hoof!” “Miouwl” said tho other.

“Just look at Callum playing with my kitten,” said the lady next door. “ I told you I had to get a cat to keep down the mice.”