188 THE LOG OF A TIMBER CRUISER 
kiss averred that two bears had just lately pulled 
loose from his big Number 4 trap by the rather shock- 
ing expedient of twisting the prisoned foot off. 
Some of us were inclined to doubt the truth of this 
tale, but before we moved camp we had ocular proof 
of its verity. 
A trapper, if he can, visits his traps each morn- 
ing. The chances a captured ‘‘varmint’’ has of es- 
caping are thereby greatly lessened. But Hotch- 
kiss worked alone and found it impossible to make 
the round every day. So it happened that when he 
started on a tour of inspection the following Sun- 
day it was for the first time in two or three 
days. \ 
He returned about two in the afternoon very much 
worked up, and exhibited a gruesome trophy. It 
was a gigantic bear’s foot, torn off at the ankle. 
‘‘Looky there,’’ he shouted, ‘‘whad-die tell you 
all. I didn’t git around to my Number 4 yestiddy nor 
day before, an’ I done missed th’ biggest grizzly 
you ever see. Here’s what he left in the trap for 
me, as a soovenoor!’’ 
“‘Couldn’t you track him?’’ we asked, after in- 
specting the ‘‘souvenir’’ with considerable disrelish. 
\ “*Naw,’’ replied Hank, ‘‘I tried to, but ’twarn’t 
no use. I see where he dug ground up all around 
the trap twissin’ his foot off, an’ where he slid down 
the side of the canyon after gitten’ away. But 
where he done run off down th’ creek I couldn’t find 
no sign nowhar. He’ll likely hole up some’rs till 
