TRAPPING UP LITTLE OTTER 179 



came dashing past, answering to our earnest re- 

 monstrances that "He'd risk it," and shot into the 

 swift, smooth water Hke an arrow. 



I watched him a moment, and then, as he seemed 

 to be getting through safely, went about setting a 

 mink trap in what looked to be a likely place in 

 the base of a hollow tree. WTien not long so en- 

 gaged, I was startled by a loud outcry of distress, 

 "Rowlan'! Come quick! Come quick !" and tear- 

 ing along the bank at the best pace my long legs 

 would compass, I presently discovered our too 

 adventurous comrade perched on top of a big 

 boulder in the middle of the roaring current, hold- 

 ing aloft in one hand his dinner pail, in the other 

 his precious bundle of furs, while just below lay 

 his capsized boat, jammed fast against a rock, and 

 gun, traps, and hatchet somewhere at the bottom. 

 Joe arrived directly, and on finding that our friend 

 was unhurt and no great harm done, we could not 

 withhold a hearty laugh at the funny figure he 

 cut with his carefully preserved treasures. We 

 helped him ashore with them, and soon fished up 

 the gmi, traps, and other cargo, but our united 

 efforts could not budge the boat an inch, nor could 

 it be done until the creek had fallen considerably. 



As there was no telling when a team would come 

 for boats and traps, we insured the safety of the 

 latter by caching them with a skill that would do 

 no discredit to a Rocky Mountain trapper. We 



