DOGS ON THE TRAP LINE. 



213 



Several years ago I had a partner who had a dog part stag 

 hound and the other part just dog, I think. One day he, my 

 partner, asked if I would object to his bringing the dog to camp, 

 saying that his wife was going on a visit and he had no place to 

 leave the dog. I told him that if he had a good dog I would be 

 glad to have the dog in camp. In a day or two pard went home 

 and brought in the dog. Well, when he came, the dog was follow- 

 ing along behind his master with tail and ears drooping, and look- 

 ing as though he had never heard a kind word in his life. I asked 

 if the dog was any good and he replied that he did not know 

 how good he was. I asked the name of the dog. He said, "Oh, 

 I call him Pont." I spoke to the dog, calling him by name. The 

 dog looked at me wistfully, wagging his tail. The look that dog 

 gave me said as plain as words that that was the first kind word 

 he had ever, heard. 



We went inside and the dog started to follow, when his master 

 in a harsh voice said "get out of here." I said, "Where do you 

 expect the dog to go?" I then took an old coat that was in the 

 camp, placed it in a corner and called gently to Pont, patted the 

 coat and told Pont to lay down on the coat which the dog did. 

 I patted the dog, saying, "that is a good place for Pont," and I 

 can see that wistful gaze that dog gave me now. After we had 

 our supper I asked my partner if he wasn't going to fix Pont some 

 supper. "Oh, after awhile I will see if I can find something for 

 him." I took a biscuit from the table, spread some butter on it, 

 called the dog to me, broke the biscuit in pieces and gave it to 

 the dog from my hand, then I found an old basin that chanced to 

 be about the camp and fixed the dog a good supper. 



After the dog had finished his "supper I went to the coat in 

 the corner, spoke gently to Pont, patted the coat and told Pont to 

 lay down on the coat. That was the end of that, Pont knew his 

 place and took it without further trouble. 



The next morning when we were about ready to start out on 

 the trap line I asked pard what he intended to do with Pont. He 

 said that he would tie him to a tree that stood against the shanty 

 close to the door. We were going to take different lines of traps. 

 I said, "what is the harm of Pont going with me?" "All right, 



