THE SNOW-WALKERS 



was upon his skill in the art, and, indignantly 

 exhuming the iron, he walked home with it, the 

 stream of silver quarters suddenly setting in another 

 direction. 



The successful trapper commences in the fall, or 

 before the first deep snow. In a field not too re- 

 mote, with an old axe he cuts a small place, say 

 ten inches by fourteen, in the frozen ground, and 

 removes the earth to the depth of three or four 

 inches, then fills the cavity with dry ashes, in which 

 are placed bits of roasted cheese. Reynard is very 

 suspicious at first, and gives the place a wide berth. 

 It looks like design, and he will see how the thing 

 behaves before he approaches too near. But the 

 cheese is savory and the cold severe. He ventures a 

 little closer every night, until he can reach and pick 

 a piece from the surface. Emboldened by success, 

 like other mortals, he presently digs freely among 

 the ashes, and, finding a fresh supply of the delec- 

 table morsels every night, is soon thrown off his 

 guard and his suspicions quite lulled. After a week 

 of baiting in this manner, and on the eve of a light 

 fall of snow, the trapper carefully conceals his trap 

 in the bed, first smoking it thoroughly with hemlock 

 boughs to kill or neutralize the smell of the iron. If 

 the weather favors and the proper precautions have 

 been taken, he may succeed, though the chances 

 are still greatly against him. 



Reynard is usually caught very lightly, seldom 

 13 



