he did not fall to the ground.

"He has caught hold of something," said the notary, facetiously.

"Ah! you will hold on, you rascal, will you?" shouted Boucheseiche,
beside himself with excitement, and the next moment he sent a second
shot, which sent the hair flying in all directions.

The creature remained in the same position. Then there was a general
roar.

"He is quite obstinate!" remarked the clerk, slyly.

Boucheseiche, astonished, looked attentively at the tree, then at the
laughing crowd, and could not understand the situation.

"If I were in your place, Collector," said Claudet, in an insinuating
manner, "I should climb up there, to see--"

But Justin Boucheseiche was not a climber. He called a youngster, who
followed the hunt as beater-up.

"I will give you ten sous," said he; "to mount that tree and bring me my
squirrel!"

The young imp did not need to be told twice. In the twinkling of an eye
he threw his arms around the tree, and reached the fork. When there, he
uttered an exclamation.

"Well?" cried the collector; impatiently, "throw him down!"