Scout and Uncle Tony (Diane Webb)

Image by cm195902 via Flickr

I may have mentioned before our bird dog Scout was abused before Daddy got him.  When he finally trusted my father he became a great hunting dog--for Daddy that is.  Scout refused to hunt for anyone else.  When Daddy and Uncle Tony went hunting together, Uncle Tony was very impressed with the way Scout hunted.  He begged Daddy to let him use Scout from time to time.  Daddy kept telling him that Scout would not hunt for anyone but him.  Uncle Tony could not believe this as many times as he went hunting with Daddy and saw Scout perform.  Eventually Daddy got tired of Uncle Tony begging.  Uncle Tony just could not believe he would not be able to get Scout to hunt for him.  So, Daddy gave in one day and let Uncle Tony take Scout hunting. They were gone a while when Scout came back to the house--alone.  Uncle Tony appeared later--a little put out to say the least.  He said all went well and Scout pointed beautifully for him.  However, when he moved closer he saw Scout was not pointing a covey of quail.  Instead, it was a rat.  Then Scout looked back at him like "there it is, stupid, now shoot it".  Then Scout promptly left Uncle Tony in the woods with the rat and ran back home.  Uncle Tony never asked to borrow Scout again.