56 WILD LIFE AND THE CAMERA 



floundered in mudholes, tumbled over tree trunks, 

 caught our feet in the hidden moss-covered roots as 

 we tried to dodge this way and that after the elusive 

 creature who seemed not to know which way to go. 

 First this way, then that way, sometimes with a 

 sudden change of mind back he would head, dodg- 

 ing right between us, just as we were mixed up in 

 various obstructions in the strange light cast by 

 the three torches, our dancing shadows chasing 

 each other like dark phantoms. On and on we went, 

 paying no attention to our direction, till at last we 

 cornered the bewildered beast between the root 

 knees of a large cedar. With considerable difficulty 

 we fastened a stout line around one hind leg of the 

 indignant creature, and with still greater difficulty 

 drove him to where we thought the camp should 

 be. Apparently we had been going in circles while 

 stumbling through the woods, and though not more 

 than a few hundred yards from the starting-point, 

 we were so bewildered that none of us could say 

 where the camp was. Finally, after many false 

 directions and signs had been followed, we were 

 surprised by a thin column of smoke and sparks 

 rising only a few yards away from where we were 

 holding a consultation. Had it not been for that 

 smoke we might have wandered till daylight. 



On arriving at the camp we w r ere much surprised 

 and amused to see a fine big porcupine hurrying 

 away. The rascal had been stealing our bacon and 

 we came in time to save only a small part of it. 

 Hastily securing our captive to a tree stump, we 

 proceeded to catch the retreating thief. Soon we 

 had him tied by the hind legs to a convenient tree, 



