THREE NOTABLE MEN 271 



line, and was crossing a beaver pond, about 

 a mile from camp. The pond was frozen, 

 but the water had receded and Kibbee went 

 through. His revolver, which was tied to his 

 belt without a holster, was discharged into his 

 leg. The string must have got over the trig- 

 ger — 'tis a self-cocker. 



"When his partner got home that night 

 from a long trapping line to Little Lake, he 

 found Kibbee in his bunk (he had crawled 

 home) with a badly swollen and discolored 

 knee and in great pain. Medical aid being 

 out of the question, they decided to operate 

 at once with a jack-knife, Kibbee making the 

 first part of the incision over the spot where 

 he thought the bullet lay. Then his partner 

 dug down, located the lead, loosened it, and 

 hooked it out with a piece of rusty wire. 

 'Twas a .38 special Smith & Wesson bullet. 

 One side of the missile was shorn flat from 

 having slid along the bone. His partner then 

 left him for two days, bringing back three 

 other trappers to move Kibbee to Bear Lake. 

 It took the four of them five days to make the 

 trip — partly on a stretcher, partly on a sleigh, 

 and down Bear Lake by canoe. You can 

 imagine what Kibbee sutlered, as they had to 

 camp out three nights, and to make things 



