KOOT AND THE BOB-CAT 



Ever since he had heard that wailing call from the 

 swamp woods, he had known that there were rival hunt 

 ers, the keenest of all still hunters among the rabbits. 

 Every day he came upon the trail of their ravages, 

 rifled snares, dead squirrels, torn feathers, even the re 

 mains of a fox or a coon. And sometimes he could 

 tell from the printings on the white page that the still 

 hunter had been hunted full cry by coyote or timber- 

 wolf. Against these wolfish foes the cat had one sure 

 refuge always a tree. The hungry coyote might try 

 to starve the bob-cat into surrender; but just as often, 

 the bob-cat could starve the coyote into retreat; for if 

 a foolish rabbit darted past, what hungry coyote could 

 help giving chase? The tree had even defeated both 

 dog and man that first week when Koot could not find 

 the cat. But a dog in full chase could follow the trail 

 to a tree, and a man could shoot into the tree. 



As the rabbits decreased, Koot set out many traps 

 for the bob-cats now reckless with hunger, steel-traps 

 and deadfalls and pits and log pens with a live grouse 

 clucking inside. The midwinter lull was a busy sea 

 son for Koot. 



Towards March, the sun-glare has produced a crust 

 on the snow that is almost like glass. For Koot on his 

 snow-shoes this had no danger; but for the mongrel 

 that was to draw the pelts back to the fort, the snow 

 crust was more troublesome than glass. Where the 

 crust was thick, with Koot leading the way snow-shoes 

 and dog and toboggan glided over the drifts as if on 

 steel runners. But in midday the crust was soft and 

 the dog went floundering through as if on thin ice, the 

 sharp edge cutting his feet. Koot tied little buck 

 skin sacks round the dog s feet and made a few more 



