THE OTTER SLIDE 



119 



pulled out a No. 3 steel Trap. With notched 

 jaws wide open, and tip-plate holding its flat sur 

 face up inviting the loosening pressure, it was a 

 vicious-looking affair. 



&quot; Let me spring it,&quot; said Wolf; &quot; I m used to 

 them.&quot; Grabbing the chain end in his teeth, he 

 threw the Trap over his head as a dog does a bone 

 in play, and when it came down the sides clanged 

 together with hurried fondness. 



&quot;Hurrah! hurrah !&quot; whistled Otter. &quot;Some 

 thing told me not to go down that Slide. I felt 

 it in my bones.&quot; 



&quot; You d have felt it on your bones,&quot; piped Jay, 

 ironically, &quot; if you had slid your fat belly over 

 that Trap.&quot; 



&quot; Oh, I *m just dying for a slide and a bath/ 

 continued Nekik &quot; here goes ! &quot; 



&quot; Wait a bit ! &quot; commanded Carcajou, grabbing 

 him by the shoulder, cc don t be too eager. That 

 is n t Fran9ois s Lucky Trap. If he has discov 

 ered your front stream, you can just depend upon 

 it his Lucky Trap is laid away somewhere for 

 you it s got two red bands painted on the 

 springs.&quot; 



As these words of wisdom fell from Carca 

 jou s lips his Comrades gathered their feet more 

 closely under them, and searched the surrounding 

 territory apprehensively with their eyes. 



