EMPTY-HANDED. 103 



very anxious to discover by what method the old 

 trapper intended to capture the wolverine, especially 

 as he had said he did not expect the trap which he had 

 laid to be successful. 



Thus speculating, they followed the example of the 

 trapper, and bestowed themselves beneath the shelter 

 of their buffalo robes and blankets, and soon fell asleep. 



Pierre and his cousin overslept themselves, so that 

 when they awoke on the next morning they found that 

 Jake had left the camp, and had not yet returned. 

 They got up at once ; and when Gaultier went to the 

 river to fill the large kettle, Pierre shouldered the axe, 

 and with vigorous blows soon prostrated a dead pitch- 

 pine, which he proceeded to lop into firewood. 



In this task he was joined by his cousin, and the 

 woods around re-echoed the ringing of their axes upon 

 the tough and hard tree. The resinous knots soon 

 kindled a blaze, and the withered branches being placed 

 on this, and the larger portions of the trunk and 

 branches above, a fire was soon made which roared and 

 crackled, sending up forked tongues of flame, which 

 presently reduced the logs to huge glowing embers. 



On these the kettle was placed, and slices of the 

 bison were grilled on the coals, or toasted in front of the 

 fire, spitted on pointed sticks. While thus agreeably em- 

 ployed they perceived Jake advancing among the trees. 



" He hasn't the wolverine yet, anyhow," said Gaultier. 

 " I wonder how he intends to take him. I don't expect 

 he'll get him, though, for all his 'cuteness." 



