Chapter 17 Summary
Billy’s hounds are in the final round of competition, and they have secured the first hide of the night. However, as his dogs trail another raccoon, the weather becomes menacing. Billy only has one hide and fears he will lose the competition if he does not collect more. He continues to trail his hounds despite several warnings from his father, his grandfather, and the judge.
As expected, the area is hit by a searing blizzard. The hunters are blinded by the flying snow, and the wailing wind deafens them to the howls of Billy’s hounds. They all realize they are in jeopardy of becoming lost in this unfamiliar territory, so the judge suggests they find the wagon and return to the campsite. However, Billy is unwilling to leave his hounds in the woods, especially in such wintry conditions.
As they search for the hounds, the blizzard intensifies. Just as Billy’s father convinces him he must leave the hounds and return on their own, Billy hears Old Dan’s cry and renews his pursuit, although the rest of the team is reluctant. The ground is already covered with snow, and the storm is just beginning. In a desperate attempt to locate his puppies, Billy convinces his father to fire the gun, hoping that his dogs will hear it and run to them. His plan succeeds and Little Ann appears out of the driving snow.
Billy leashes Little Ann and follows her the in hope of finding and rescuing Old Dan before he loses his life in the winter storm. The trek is both difficult and dangerous. Gusts of wind and snow still blind the hunters, and any tracks made by the dog are completely covered by the new-fallen snow. Still, Billy treads behind Little Ann, believing that she can lead him to Old Dan. Soon he finds Old Dan in a gully at the base of a tree, bawling the signal that he has trapped a raccoon. Billy busily begins removing ice particles from his dog’s body—but his father and the judge are preoccupied with a different task.
When Billy notices that his father and the judge still seem to be searching for something, he learns that his grandfather has been lost in the storm. Alarmed, Billy begins screaming hysterically and dashes off in search of his grandfather. His father overtakes him and prevents him from leaving the immediate area. Then his father fires the gun again, and Little Ann comes to the rescue one more time.
Little Ann runs ahead of the team and locates Billy’s grandfather. Then she alerts them by wailing a mournful cry. His grandfather is lying unconscious with his face in the snow. Billy’s father and the judge revive his grandfather and carry him to the gully, which offers some protection from the raging storm. As it is near daybreak, the team decides to build a fire and wait until daylight to leave the area. They build a fire and tend to his grandfather’s swollen foot. Once they have settled down to wait out the storm, Billy’s dogs return to the tree and begin howling again.
The team had given no thought to continuing the hunt, especially since the storm began in earnest. Still, they follow his hounds to the tree, which was nearby. Billy’s father ascertains that the tree is fairly hollow, so he chops it down. Billy frees his hounds from the leashes, and they spring into action. From the depths of the hollowed tree come three raccoons. Billy’s hounds quickly corner two of them and kill them after a brutal fight.
With two more...
(This entire section contains 707 words.)
Unlock this Study Guide Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
raccoons killed, Billy has three hides for the night, but he knows he will need more to win. His father asks him how many raccoons came from the tree. Billy says he saw three of them, and he points to indicate the direction in which the third raccoon escaped. The hounds respond immediately to Billy’s gesture and dart off in the direction the raccoon traveled. The storm is still raging and the weather conditions are hazardous. Billy is distraught; he feels certain that his hounds will become lost and die in the snowy woods.