256 



TheTte/Iofffie 

 Cunning One 



of the deadfalls in succession and propped 

 the logs up securely so that they could not 

 fall. The pens were doubled in strength, so 

 that even Pequam could not destroy them ; 

 and at the entrance of each pen we placed 

 a steel trap covered over with snow. The 

 two outside traps were left sprung and harm- 

 less, but the middle one had its jaws open 

 ready for business; and a' fresh drag was 

 made, connecting the three traps and extend- 

 ing out a half mile on either side. My idea 

 was that Pequam would first find one of 

 the outside traps and poke it about cau- 

 tiously till he was sure it was harmless, and 

 then go straight to the next one. 



Farther down the line we tried another 

 device. In the center of a hollow stump we 

 stuck a pole with a fresh-killed rabbit swing- 

 ing at the top. A row of stakes was then 

 driven about the stump, their tops sharpened 

 and pointing outward, so that Pequam could 

 not reach the stump except through one 

 entrance in the encircling fence. At the 

 entrance we left a steel trap sprung, and 

 covered it carefully with snow; but in the 



