HUNTING AND TRAPPING IN CAMERON COUNTY. jej 



of a coon on it for a bait. The carcass hung four or five feet 

 from the ground. 



I set the trap under the carcass and said to myself, "Old fellow, 

 when you take tbat coon; there will be a bear dance." I got to 

 camp long after dark, but when I came in si^ht of camp and 

 looked for a light, there was no light to be seen, or any Bill to 

 be found in camp. I lit a light and looked at my watch. It was 

 only a few minutes of eight o'clock. I got supper and waited until 

 nine o'clock, but no Bill came, so I laid down on the bunk to rest, 

 expecting Bill to turn up every minute. 



I dropped to sleep and when I awoke, the fire had burned out 

 and Bill had not returned. I looked at my watch. It was after 

 three o'clock,, and I knew that there would be no more sleep 

 for me. I went outside and listened, but no sound could be heard. 

 I got my breakfast, put an extra lunch in my knapsack, and sat 

 down and waited for the break of day. As soon as the first 

 streaks of light appeared in the east, I strapped on my knapsack, 

 took my gun and started in the direction in which I had known 

 Bill to take. I followed the ridge to the Conley Run waters, 

 over which Bill would likely come if he had been detained in 

 that region. 



When I came to the head of a run that led to the main 

 Conley waters, I stopped at the brow of the hill. I could look 

 down into the hollow. Here I knew that I could be heard for 

 some distance. I listened for some time to see if I could hear 

 a gun shot or any other noise that would lead me to the where- 

 abouts of Bill. Not a sound to be heard, not even the hoot of 

 an owl. I gave a long whoop and then listened, but still no 

 answering sound. I again gave a long continued "co-hoop" and 

 Bill burst out laughing, and asked what was the matter with me. 

 Bill had sat down on a fallen tree that lay close to a large pine 

 tree to rest before making the last pull to the top of the ridge. 

 He had caught a glimpse of me just before I came to the brow 

 of the hill where I stopped to send a wireless message. Bill 

 skulked behind a pine tree to see what I would do and give me 

 a scare, when I came along. 



