Travels in a Tree-top 



49 



as she called it, which was just six feet long. 

 The moths one summer had ruined it, and for 

 some time it had been lying around uncared 

 for and a plaything for the younger children. 

 This I appropriated, and fastened to one end 

 of it a rabbit's head, with the ears wired up 

 and with huge painted marbles bulging from 

 the sockets for eyes. It was a startling if not 

 life-like creature. 



Armed with this, I started after dark to the 

 trap, and soon had all in readiness for my vic- 

 tim. I coiled the boa" into the rear of the 

 box and placed the head near the opening of 

 the trap. The figure-of-four" triggers were 

 laid outside in such a way as to suggest that 

 the trap had been sprung by an animal. Then 

 I went home. 



The next morning I went to school with- 

 out visiting the spot, fearing I might meet 

 with the supposed offender. All day long I 

 wondered. No boy had any marvellous tale 

 to tell and no one looked at all guilty. There 

 soon came over me a feeling that perhaps I 

 had played a trick upon myself, and by sun- 

 down I was rather relu6lant to determine if 

 anything had happened ; but go I did. The 



trap had evidently been disturbed. The 

 c d 5 



