FUR FACTS 267 



On our way back to the cabin we noticed that there were quite 

 a few wild ducks on the lake, so Jack and uncle took their guns and 

 went duck hunting. They killed eight that afternoon and at supper 

 I almost made myself sick eating wild duck. It was the first I had 

 ever tasted and the last, for I never cared for wild duck after that. 



We had a wonderful catch of furs the next morning about all we 

 could carry and we made up our minds that this wouldn't be a bad 

 place to establish our headquarters for the winter. 



That morning my uncle gave me my first lesson in setting traps 

 for fox. Using for bait some small pieces of muskrat which he had 

 prepared by placing in a glass jar until tainted, he selected a place 

 near the bank of the creek where the tracks were thickest and dug a 

 hole about three inches deep, where he set the trap and fastened it 

 to a peg driven underneath it. This done, he covered the hole up 

 with dry leaves and sprinkled small bits of his prepared bait around 

 over it. Three traps were set in this manner, concluding our work 

 for that morning and we returned to the cabin to get the guns for 

 another duck hunt. 



We were very much surprised, upon reaching the cabin, to find 

 that the door, which we had taken care to close when we left that 

 morning, was standing wide open. The reason for this was soon 

 made apparent, however. Someone had been there, and in their 

 haste to get away with our provisions and camping equipment, had 

 forgotten to close the door. They had taken everything in sight, 

 leaving only uncle's shot gun, which, standing in an obscure corner 

 near the fire place, had obviously escaped their notice. Uncle was 

 surely peeved but there was evidently nothing to be done about it. 



The idea of living on an exclusive ration of wild duck did not 

 appeal to us, so it was decided that one of us go up the river and 

 attempt to obtain some supplies. I was hungering for a trip on the 

 river alone so I persuaded my uncle to let me go. 



I was not an expert at the oars, and it was pretty hard pulling 

 against the current, but I didn't mind that; propelling a boat up the 

 Mississippi River alone was no small accomplishment in my eyes, 

 and as I felt the boat lurch forward with each stroke, my heart swelled 

 with pride. 



I must have traveled about three miles when I sighted what appeared 

 to be a crude cabin, the upper portion of which was dimly visible 

 through the trees. I was overjoyed at finding a place so soon, for 

 my arms were getting pretty tired and my strokes with the oars were 

 growing shorter. How surprised uncle and Jack would be to see me 



