52 MEN I HAVE FISHED WITH. 



"Yes, I've eat 'em many times, an' they're right good, 

 too, if you know how to dress an' cook 'em, an' I'll tell 

 you what else is good, but you may not believe it; that's 

 young quawks ; the old ones are fishy, but the young ones 

 are not, though they are fed on fish, an' I'll get you up 

 a " 



"But about the muskrat, Porter; I've eaten him, and I 

 don't want any more." 



"Wa'n't it good?" 



"I'll tell you," said Bill; "you know old Dandaraw, the 

 C'anuck Frenchman who keeps the little drunkery just 

 north of the B. & A. passenger houses? Of course you 

 do. Well, after the spring freshet I dropped into Dan- 

 daraw's, and we were talking about shooting muskrats. 

 Dandaraw said: 'You shoot-a da mus'rat, hey, Bill?' 'Oh, 

 yes,' said I; 'sometimes, just for fun, and I give 'em to 

 Port Tyler, and he skins 'em for market.' 



" 'You doan eat-a da mus'rat, hey, Bill?' 



" 'No, I don't eat 'em; they smell a little too musky for 

 me.' 



" 'Oh, Bill, you mus' eat a-heem; you doan' know how 

 good-a he ees.' 



"I asked him how he cooked 'em, just for curiosity, 

 for I had no idea that the things were eatable, and I only 

 wanted to hear him chirp. He said : 



" 'First you skeen da mus'rat an' clean him fine; den 

 you bile him a leetle; den you fry him an' you eat him, 

 an' (smack) o-o-o!' 



"Well," said Bill, "I skeen-a da mus'rat an' I clean 

 him fine; den I bile him a leetle; den I fry him an' I eat 

 him. I could do the whole trick except the (smack) an' 

 the o-o-o. I could eat a muskrat on a pinch, but for 

 choice would prefer one of these partridges that Port 

 serves up so good." 



