WOLF DAYS IN PENNSYLVANIA. 123 



about six feet long. These prongs we twisted into 

 switches, taking hold of the two switched prongs 

 about half way to the top, from the point where they 

 separated from the prongs together with the tops of 

 each prong pointing in opposite directions, then tied 

 them with a small string, then wound the top end of 

 one prong around the butt end of the other several 

 times to the point they pronged, tied this fast, then 

 wound the other side in the same way. This left a 

 hoop about two feet in diameter. We took our 

 hatchet, cut the sapling so the part below the prongs 

 was three feet long. We sent the dog into the den. As 

 soon as we heard the whelps whining around the dog 

 we chirped to him. He came out, the whelps trotting 

 along with him until they Avere within two feet of the 

 hole. We had one hoop in position before calling 

 the dog out. We stood as much out of sight as possi- 

 ble and allow us to see into the hole, holding our hoop 

 close up against the rock, and when the little "brats" 

 stopped to bark at us we dropped the hoop over two 

 of them, giving them a quick jerk. They rolled out- 

 doors about three feet. We dropped our hoop and 

 clinched them. Holy smoke, how they did yell! At 

 first they tried to bite, but as soon as they found out 

 we were not going to hurt them, w^e could handle them 

 as well as you could handle little puppies four or five 

 weeks old. The experience we had w^ith other dens 

 in former years, we were certain we could not fool 

 these little chaps again the same day. We went forty 

 rods from the den, cut three clogs, one for each trap 



