106 "HOW I CAUGHT IT.' 1 



Hawken's meat," cried the old fellow, taking up the 

 animal by the tail. " See, young fellurs," he continued, 

 " this is how I caught the varmint. Ye seed me put 

 them hooks in the partridge ? " (The youths nodded 

 assent.) " Wai, then, when this skunk kem along, he 

 jest tried his old game o' makin' raggles o' the bait, an' 

 he got one hook stuck in his mouth, while t'other hung 

 out in front o' his nose. I guess he didn't cotton to 

 that ornament, an' tried to stand upon it to drag it out. 

 That did the bisness, fur he jest hooked his toes to his 

 nose, and couldn't make tracks nohow. I won't say, 

 though, that he wouldn't 'a made away, or leastways 

 cached hisself ; but most likely 'twur about daybreak 

 he got caught, and so he hadn't the time. Anyhow he 

 won't run agin this coon for one while. No ! that he 

 won't " 



Here the old hunter chuckled loud and long at his 

 own superior skill in woodcraft. The wolverine was 

 next divested of his shaggy hide, and bearing this 

 trophy the party returned to the canoe. 



It was yet early morning, for the hunters had been 

 early risers. As they had nothing more to detain them 

 at this place, they packed the canoe with all their 

 belongings, and with a certain amount of regret bade 

 adieu to a spot where they had sojourned happily for 

 some days. 



But an event soon occurred which banished these 

 feelings and filled them with anxiety. For some days 

 the weather had been intensely hot; the grass and 



