The bird hiding in scrub cedar

Chief describes a flashback of him hunting with his father and their pointer dog that they borrowed. The pointer dog starts running around in circles under the tree trying to sniff out the bid. He says, "the bird safe as long as he keeps still. He's holding out pretty good, but the dog keeps sniffing and circling, louder and closer. Then the bird breaks, feathers springing, jumps out of the cedar into the birdshot from Papa's gun." Chief is using the bird as a metaphor for himself and the pointer dog represents the black boys that Big Nurse tells to get Chief and shave him. Chief hides like the bird was hiding and the black boys are "smelling" and "hunting" for him while he is hiding in the mop closet.