SETTING OUT OF THE TRAPS 105 



&quot; There s nothing in it,&quot; replied the Bird ; &quot; I 

 saw them cut the Meat.&quot; 



&quot; Well, Jack and I will eat one piece ; there s 

 a piece for you, Rof. In this year of scarce food 

 even the Death Bait is acceptable though it s 

 but a tooth-full. Are you hungry, Muskwa ? &quot; 



&quot; No ; I am sleepy. I think I 11 go to bed 

 to-morrow for all Winter. You fellows have 

 kept me up too late now.&quot; 



&quot; Give me a paw to break the ice in the stream, 

 Muskwa I m going to cache this Trap,&quot; said 

 Carcajou. 



&quot; All right,&quot; yawned Bear ; &quot; I can hardly keep 

 my eyes open. &quot; I m afraid my liver is out of 

 order.&quot; 



&quot; Should n t eat so much,&quot; piped Whisky- 

 Jack. 



Muskwa slouched down to the river ; Wolverine 

 grabbed up the Trap in his strong jaws and fol 

 lowed. Bruin scraped the snow to one side 

 deftly, uncovering a patch of the young ice, and 

 two or three powerful blows from his mighty paw 

 soon shivered a hole in it. Carcajou dropped the 

 Trap through, saying, &quot;It will close over to-night, 

 and to-morrow perhaps the wind will cover it 

 with snow.&quot; 



The King looked on admiringly. 



&quot;Bra-vo! br-a-a-vo ! &quot; growled Blue Wolf. 



