ed Billy thinks it is impressive and does not want to kill it. Just then Old Blue the Pritchard’s dog appears. Ruben attacks Billy and wrestles him to the ground so Old Blue can kill the coon. While they are fighting Rainie shouts that Old Dan and Little Ann are fighting Old Blue. Ruben gets off of Billy and gets his ax and runs after them going to kill Billy’s hounds. Ruben trips on a stick and falls on the ax killing himself. Billy pulls his dogs off of Old Blue and then checks on Ruben finding him dead. Very scared Billy immediately ran for home. Billy felt bad for days and did not want to go hunting. Finally he goes and puts flowers on Ruben’s grave. Doing that makes him feel better and he goes camping that night. Billy’s grandfather sent for Billy one day and told him that he had been keeping up with how many skins he had turned in to the store. He told him that he had qualified to be in a coon hunting championship. Billy, his grandfather, and father take a buggy to the contest. When they arrive they see the campsite filled with tents, each containing adult coon hunters with expensive gear and beautiful hounds. Somehow though Little Ann won the beauty contest held on the first day of competition. The other coon hunters were kind and congratulated Billy. Billy has to catch three coons to qualify for the finals. Billy chooses a good starting point for his hounds and they quickly catch their first coon of the night. A blizzard comes and all the hunters head in to their campsite. That is when they realize Billy’s grandfather is missing. They go out searching for him and find him unconscious and with a twisted ankle. Once he revives he tells Billy there is three coons in a certain tree and to chop it down to get them. He kills two and one escapes. He gestures toward the third one and the dogs go after it. He chases after them and finds them with the coon. He kills the coon and wins the jackpot of $300. One ...
