Part 9 (1/2)

”There,” said he, ”my spring has answered, and this is the first fruits of it. Now I'll make some more, and we will have something by way of a change for dinner.”

They were very much pleased with Humphrey's success, and he was not a little proud of it.

”How did you find out how to make it?”

”Why, I read in the old book of travels which Jacob brought home with him last summer, of people catching rabbits and hares in some way like this; I could not make it out exactly, but it gave me the idea.”

We ought to have told the reader that Jacob had more than once brought home an old book or two which he had picked up, or had given him, and that these had been occasionally looked into by Humphrey and Edward, but only now and then, as they had too much to do to find much time for reading, although sometimes, in the evening, they did take them up. When it is considered how young they were, and what a practical and busy life they led, this can not be surprising.

CHAPTER VII.

Humphrey was now after something else. He had made several traps, and brought in rabbits and hares almost every day. He had also made some bird-traps, and had caught two goldfinches for Alice and Edith, which they put in the cages he had made for them. But, as we said, Humphrey was about something else; he was out early in the morning, and in the evening, when the moon was up, he came home late, long after they had all gone to bed; but they never knew why, nor would he tell them. A heavy fall of snow took place, and Humphrey was more out than ever. At last, about a week after the snow had laid on the ground, one morning he came in with a hare and rabbit in his hand, and said,

”Edward, I have caught something larger than a hare or a rabbit, and you must come and help me, and we must take our guns. Jacob, I suppose your rheumatism is too bad to let you come too?”

”No; I think I can manage. It's the damp that hurts me so much. This frosty air will do me good, perhaps. I have been much' better since the snow fell. Now, then, let us see what you have caught.”

”You will have to walk two miles,” said Humphrey, as they went out.

”I can manage it, Humphrey, so lead the way.”

Humphrey went on till they came close to a clump of large trees, and then brought them to a pitfall which he had dug, about six feet wide and eight feet long, and nine feet deep.

”There's my large trap,” said Humphrey, ”and see what I have caught in it.”

They looked down into the pit and perceived a young bull in it. Smoker, who was with him, began to bark furiously at it.

”Now, what are we to do? I don't think it is hurt. Can we get it out?” said Humphrey.

”No, not very well. If it was a calf, we might; but it is too heavy, and if we were to get it out alive, we must kill it after ward, so we had better shoot it at once.”

”So I think,” replied Humphrey.

”But how did you catch him?” said Edward.

”I read of it in the same book I did about the traps for hares,” replied Humphrey. ”I dug out the pit and covered it with brambles, and then put snow at the top. This is the thicket that the herd comes to chiefly in winter time; it is large and dry, and the large trees shelter it; so that is why I chose this spot. I took a large bundle of hay, put some on the snow about the pit, and then strewed some more about in small handfuls, so that the cattle must find it, and pick it up, which I knew they would be glad to do, now that the snow is on the ground. And now, you see, I have succeeded.”

”Well, Humphrey, you beat us, I will say,” said Edward. ”Shall I shoot him?”

”Yes, now that he is looking up.”

Edward shot his ball through the forehead of the animal, which fell dead: but they were then obliged to go home for the pony and cart, and ropes to get the animal out of the pit, and a hard job they had of it too; but the pony helped them, and they did get it out at last.

”I will do it easier next time,” said Humphrey. ”I will make a windla.s.s as soon as I can, and we will soon hoist out another, like they turn a bucket of water up from a well.”

”It's nice young meat,” said Jacob, who was skinning the bull, ”not above eighteen months old, I should think. Had it been a full-grown one, like that we shot, it must have remained where it was, for we never could have got it out.”

”Yes, Jacob, we should, for I should have gone down and cut it up in the pit, so that we would have handed it out by bits, if we could not have managed him whole.”