THE MUSKRAT AND ITS HOME 

 AS JOE AND I KNEW THEM 



JOE was an honest, good-natured, half-breed 

 Indian. He was six years my senior, tall 

 and ungainly, with broad, square shoulders, 

 straight, black hair, sharp eyes and high cheek- 

 bones. He came to live with us on my eighth 

 birthday, in consequence of which 1 always 

 called him my birthday gift. He was my con- 

 stant companion and playmate for several years. 



During the time Joe was a member of our 

 family we lived on a " preemption " and timber 

 claim. A clear stream of water with low banks 

 ran along its eastern boundary ; a branch of 

 the stream extended into a broad slough filled 

 with long, sharp-edged slough-grass, cat-tail 

 rushes and spatterdock with their broad leather- 

 like leaves. 



Along the edge of the slough grew patches 



