d cigar being forthcoming, he took the
time to light it with tenderest care. Meanwhile, Ambrose kicked the
bale on which he sat with an impatient heel.

"It was the Tuesday after Easter," Poly finally began. "It was when
the men went out to visit their traps again after big time at the fort.
There was moch frash snow fall, and heavy going for the dogs. Colina
Gaviller she moch friends with Michel Trudeau for because he was bring
her in on his raf las' fall.

"Often she go with him lak she go with me. Michel carry her up on his
sledge, and she hunt aroun' while he visit his traps. Michel trap up
on the bench three mile from the fort. He not get much fur so near,
but live home in a warm house, and work for day's wages for John
Gaviller."

Poly paragraphed his story with luxurious puffs at the cigar and
careful attention to keep it burning evenly.

"So on Tuesday after Easter they go out toget'er. Colina Gaviller ride
on the sledge and Michel he break trail ahead. Come to the bench,
leave the dogs in a shelter Michel build in a poplar bluff. Michel go
to see his traps, and Colina walk away on her snowshoes wit' her little
gun.

"Michel not ver' good lok that day. In his first trap find fool-hen
catch herself. He is mad. Second trap is little cross-fox; third trap
nothin' 'tall!

"Come to fourth trap, wa! see somesing black on the snow! Wa! Wa!
Him heart jomp up! Think him got black fox sure! But no! It is too
big. Come close and look. What is he catch you think? It is a black
bear!

"Everybody know some tam a bear wake up too soon in winter and come out
of his hole and roll aroun' lak he was drunk. He can't find somesing
to eat nowhere, and don' know what to do!

"This bear him catch his paw in Michel's little fox trap. It was chain
to a little tree. Bear too weak to pull his paw out or break the
chain. He lie down lak dead.

"Michel him ver' mad. Him think got no lok at all after Easter. For
'cause that bear is poor as a bird out of the egg. Michel mak' a noise
to wake him up. But always he lie still lak dead. Michel think all
right.

"Bam-by he lean over with his knife. Wa! Bear jomp up lak he was burn
wit' fire! Little chain break and before Michel can tak a breath, bear
fetch him a crack with the steel trap acrost his head!

"Wa! Wa! Michel's forehead is bus' open from here to here lak that!
Michel drop his knife in the snow. Him get ver' sick. Warm blood run
all down