ALONG FOUR-FOOTED TRAILS 



our ears from down the stream. We knew the 

 muskrats had been disturbed and were sounding 

 the alarm along the river. As they plunged 

 into the water Joe said if I would watch the 

 baskets he would try and catch one in the way 

 he had been taught by an old Indian. 



Selecting a heavy stick six feet long he lay 

 flat on the ground face downward and began to 

 make a curious, squeaking sound with his lips. 

 Keeping this up for some time, a large muskrat 

 with heavy dark-brown fur, with a mixture of 

 longer stiff glossy hairs of a darker color, tiny 

 ears and little, black bead-like eyes set back on 

 the sides of a broad, flat head, finally answered 

 the half-breed's call. As the muskrat crawled 

 up the side of the bank, Joe struck it across the 

 back of its neck with the stick he held in wait- 

 ing. Thus all unconsciously it was lured to 

 death. The Indians were very fond of the flesh 

 of the muskrat and formerly killed many of 

 them for food as Joe did this one. 



Joe skinned the muskrat and from the fur a 



cap was made. He also took the secretion with 



its peculiar musk-odor from the glands in which 



it is found. This secretion is used for scenting 



[146] 



