Part 5 (1/2)
This happy way of looking at it pleased everybody, and all voted Roddy to be a philosopher
The Indian servants had the dog-fish all ready, and so it was not long ere the twelve dogs were enjoying their well-earned supper
When they had all entered the house the boys, as usual, were anxious to know of each other's success during the day Not only had Frank, as we have described, gone out to his traps, but Sam and Alec had also driven some miles to the places where they, apart fro various kinds of fur-bearing anione out for several days past in co fellow, and he and Sam had suddenly becoreat scheme on between them What it was nobody seemed quite able to make out, and so their curiosity was much excited, especially when Sam had been seen in close converse with the cook, and had then, after a hasty visit to the cellar, hurried aith young Mee onions ere he reached his sled Then one of thethe amot, and if there was any castoreuet e to say, he was the first one after dinner that proposed bed Before daylight a trusty servant called him, as Sam had desired, and even then, early as it hen he ca hi Meood, warerous indeed to start off in the eneroustheir breakfast a trusty Indian called out Sa to be off They did not return until the afternoon, and then they proudly brought in two pri told how that he and young Memotas had found the tracks of them so a dead fall, and the last day or so they had been decoying the them into the vicinity of the trap; but he said that he re soah there the tild cats were securely caught The weight of the logs had been increased by heavy stones, and so, he added, ”The animals were quite dead e reached them As there were other tracks around we have been busy ever sincetraps of the sa the frozen part of the hind foot of a marten in one of his steel traps He noticed which way the anis out of his sled, he put theht they quickly ran it down He rescued it from them as speedily as possible It was quite dead, but its beautiful fur was uninjured
Frank was eager to be off again with old Memotas to see the result of the newold fox But Memotas, as and experienced hioing to walk into that trap the first day, nor perhaps the second day You have been well feeding hiet hungry perhaps he go prowling round to see if his friend hasn't coet to know traps that seem just set for them to live from”
This was all rather hard on Frank, but he had come to see that it was all true, and so he patiently waited until the old o and see if that fox was still playing any of his tricks The train was soon harnessed, and away they flew over the icy lake, and then into the forest trail On and on they went, until they came near the spot where the traps had all been set Every one that Frank had set was sprung and empty, and the one that Me! Nowhere could Frank see it or any trace of it Mean walking in a circle around the spot He had not more than half completed the circle before he quickly called to Frank, who at once hurried to his side Pointing to a peculiar spot in the snow that had been ht with both fore legs in the trap He is noalking away on his hind legs and holding up the trap in his s! See, there he rest!” And the old an to hurry on, closely followed by Frank, to whom he explained every et away so far with the trap on both fore feet,” said Me-like sound fell on their ears, and with it so Meround in the snow, and Frank crouched beside hi hunting knife
”So Keep still, Ithe slightest noise the old ht
Fortunately, there was a dense clu animals and Frank Then they were so absorbed in their own quarrel that they were not very alert in watching for others
However, Frank knew enough to keep perfectly still, although he confessed he clutched the knife several ti snarls of the wild cat pierced the air so near Soon Meet a successful shot at the wild cat, as it was evident the fox was sure enough At first Memotas crawled forward closer to the trees, the branches of which, laden doith snow, reached to the ground all around Carefully peering through the dense branches, he gazed intently for a time, and then he silently beckoned Frank to come Noiselessly he crawled up beside Memotas, and after his eyes had become accustomed to the work he was able to see the two animals not s of the fox were securely fastened in the steel trap, which seemed to have closed on him about four inches up from his feet
The wild cat was a fierce old rip on the fox This the fox was resolved not to let him have, and so he kept his face toward his foe, and whenever the latter would spring at hi up the trap so securely fastened on his fore legs, would bang it doith a whack on the head of the wild cat With a snarl the cat would suddenly back off and arch up his back and snarl worse than ever It was the queerest battle that Memotas had ever witnessed, and every time the trap rattled on the head or body of the wild cat the old ht To Frank the sight was also the oddest and queerest he had ever even heard of At one skillful parry the fox, although so terribly handicapped, was able to give the cat a whack that sent hiht of this Frank had to crowd his furout:
”Well done, old fox!”
Why they remained so in this one open place, Frank noas because the fox was fearful that if he got in as or the rocks the wild cat would have the advantage, and thus succeed in springing upon his back, while he, so hampered, could make but little resistance
All at once Frank saw the animals cease both the attack and their noises Meun into position, and the next instant, as Frank heard the jingling of distant bells, there also rang out the report of the gun, and the wild cat tu up, Meether they quickly hurried after the fox, that was now again desperately striving to get away
Me it with a ball, and so, picking up a heavy clublike branch of a tree, he quickly killed the fox without breaking the skin
A fewthe trail He had visited his traps and snares, and had decided to take this trail on his way hohters Well was it that Memotas's quick ears also heard them, and that he was able to fire before the wild cat had fled into the forest
They were soon all on their way hoh it was a cross, yet it was so nearly black that a large suiven for it
For hed about that oddest of all fights, the one between the trapped fox and the fierce old wild cat
CHAPTER SIX
THE WINTER BIRDS OF THE GREAT LONE LAND--THE WHISKY JACK--THE PTARMIGAN--THEIR BEDS IN THE SNOW--MISSION VISITS--CUPID'S DARTS--THE WOOD SUPPLY--PRIMITIVE WAY OF CAPTURING PARTRIDGES--GREAT SNOWY OWLS-- METHODS OF CAPTURE--SAM'S EXPERIENCE--THE FEARFUL GRIP OF THE OWL'S CLAW
”Where are your singing birds?” said Sa taken Wenonah and Roderick out for a drive with the dogs ”We have travelled over a dozen ”