The next morning, although it was still a little before dawn, Chipi was awakened by what sounded like a quick rustling through the grass. Perking her ears to the sound and shaking the sleep off as she woke up, the young spaniel glanced about the yard to try and discover what the sound could have been. Her answer came quickly. In the short amount of time it had taken for her to awake fully, Amos Slade had run all the way across the yard and bounded up the steps of Andy's cabin to pound hurriedly on the door even before he came to a complete stop.
Chipi walked out of her dog house and tilted her head in interest as she watched the elderly hunter continue to beat upon the door as if the world were coming to an end. This didn't continue for too much longer before Amos was halted in his poundings by the door finally opening. It cracked open a bit, just enough to peer through and then the door opened fully to reveal a bewildered Andy, looking about as confused as his dog, and still with a fresh case of bed hair. The young man just stared at where Amos Slade stood on his porch.
Anticipating this response, Amos quickly explained, "I'm sorry to have waked ya so early boy" he said, "but it was urgent that I rush down here as quick as I could!". Andy still looked bewildered, "Good grief Mr. Amos! Whatever is it! Is your house on fire! Is it the dogs!". Amos quickly waved his hands to stop the young man in mid sentence, "Oh no boy, it's nothing like that. Everything's fine". Andy breathed a sigh of relief. "I just couldn't leave you out of this" Amos continued, "Chance of a life time and all".
"Chance of a life time?" Andy asked, none of the old hunter's words making sense, although that could be due to the early hour. "W-What is?" he asked. Amos looked about as excited as Andy had ever seen him. "Boy some of the finest hunters who it's been my pleasure to have hunted with throughout my life have all gotten together and we're gonna have ourselves a real expedition as them book learned folks 'ed say" Amos said, "An entire hunting trip devoted to tracking down the Ghost 'Coon!".
It took a while for the meaning of what Amos was saying to hit Andy, but once it did the young man didn't know whether he wanted to laugh or groan in frustration. "They're both over at my place right now!" Amos continued, "a' ready to leave, and I told 'em I weren't goin no where without giving one of the best young hunters I knowed the chance and great opportunity to come along!". Amos turned and noticed Chipi. The old hunter smiled as he walked down the porch and over to pet the spaniel, "Why just look at your fine young pup here, up and lookin' about as bright eyed as ever. Why she looks like she's just hankerin' ta get out there and find that Ghost 'Coon, and she's only waiting on you to make up your mind and decide to come with us".
Andy sighed and put his face into his hands as Amos turned down to Chipi once more. "We've got two experienced 'coon hounds in our little group who also want at that 'coon" Amos told the young spaniel, "so I wouldn't get my hopes up to high, but maybe you can show 'em a thing or two". Chipi barked happily up at the old hunter, although she had no idea what he was going on and on about. Yet from the looks of things she pretty much guess that Copper and Cheif's master was trying to pull her own master into another hunting trip.
Andy sighed once more, "Alright, alright" he said, "I know your friends aren't going to give me this chance again so I'll take it when it comes, even if it is at the crack of dawn". Amos laughed, "That's the spirit boy, born hunter you are, that's what I always said". Andy just smiled a bit, "or a complete push over" he replied before turning to go back into his cabin and collect up his stuff.
He came back out after a bit and then, motioning for Chipi to follow, Andy followed Amos back over to his yard which was packed with one extra truck besides Amos' as well as a various assortment of dogs. As Amos led Andy over to where his two friends, Charlie and Jeff, stood to introduce the young man to them, Chipi made her way over to where Copper and Chief were in the yard and chatting with the other dogs, two 'coon Hounds and three English Fox Hounds, all of whom looked about the same age as Chipi herself.
Cooper smiled as he turned and noticed his young previous trainee. "Oh hey Chipi" he said, "Meet the guys, their masters are our master's hunting buddies". The five hounds nodded politely to Chipi in greeting. "Nice ta meet ya miss" one of the 'coon hounds said, "I'm Tracker and this is my brother Ridge". The other 'coon hound, Ridge, nodded at his introduction, "Nice ta meet ya". Chipi nodded, "Hello".
As Chipi turned her attention to the three English Fox Hounds, the one in the middle who seemed to be the leader, gave a bow sort of nod. "A pleasure miss" he said in an English accent, "My name is Exavier and these are my comrades, Jip and Ben". The other two English fox hounds gave the same sort of bow type nod. "Pleased to meet all of you" Chipi said. She didn't give much thought to why one of Amos' country hunting buddies would own English Fox Hounds, but Andy had already bet her to that question.
"So Charlie, you don't seem English" Andy said. The hunter laughed and nodded, "No, no, I'm about as English as that gum tree on my property back home" he said, "but I go some four cousins or something' on my mom's side what apparently came from an English background and they sent me that pair over there as a gift a few years ago" he explained, pointing over to where his three fox hounds were. "Well, they're very nice" Andy said. Charlie nodded, "Well they should be, my cousins assure me they're purebred". The other hunter, Jeff, smiled, "Well ya know Tracker and Ridge are purebred too, long proud line of 'coon hounds and I don't need no papers ta tell me that, they came straight from my Uncle Tom's hound's litter".
"Well" Amos said to Charlie and Jeff, hoping to end their discussion and get on to getting off on their trip. "If we're all ready, how about we get started". Charlie and Jeff nodded, "You betcha!" they both said. "You can ride with me, boy" Amos told Andy. The young man nodded, "Alright, thanks Mr. Amos" he said. He stepped out and whistled to Chipi. The young spaniel turned her attention from talking with the other dogs and trotted over at her master's call.
Charlie and Jeff' dogs made their way over to the other truck and up into the bed. "I say, I'm still not quite use to all the bouncing around these vehicles produce" Ben said. Ridge smiled, "You'll get use to it" he said. Over in Amo's truck, Chief narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he looked at some of the occupants of the truck across from them. "Care to share your thoughts?" Copper asked with a smirk, since he had a hunch what his old friend was thinking.
Chief snapped out of his thoughts to look at Copper and then turned back to look at the truck, "I just hope them high and mighty English Hounds keep their distance" he grumbled, "Can be an awfully annoying group if ya give 'em space enough". With that, Cheif laid his head down and said no more.
Chipi laughed, "Aw Mr. Chief, they don't see so bad to me" she said. Chief just grumbled again, "Sure hope that master a there's didn't bring any of those bugle things they use to hunt, them things are more annoying than the hounds themselves...if they deserve to call themselves hounds a'tall!".
Copper laughed, "Don't fret Chief, I don't think their master even knows what one of those English bugles looks like" he said. "Let's hope not!" Chief answered. Copper and Chipi just shook their heads and then prepared themselves for the bumpy ride ahead.