stones on the limbs that are down in the water; you also see
that I turn the water above the trap by throwing up a few stones;
this is done to keep the water so that it just covers the traps. You
see that bunch of leaves that are a little higher than the rest of
the leaves--the pan of the trap is just under those leaves."

"Did that moss grow on the stone pen?"

"No, I put it there to make the pen look old; you see a fox can
easily step on that bunch of dry leaves that are on the pan of the
trap from the bank. A fox does not like new things. You see this trap
is set for mink, coon or fox, whichever may happen along."

"What is the trap fastened to?"

"See that limb that has moss all grown over it. The trap is stapled
to it."

"Can't a fox or coon drag it away?"

"Yes, but not far. See the chain is stapled about the middle of the
limb, and the animal would not go far before it got fast.

"Fred, you get that rabbit out of the knapsack that we took out of
the snare, and we will put some fresh bait in the pen for this is
getting too stale; mink and coon do not like rotten meat. Cut it into
several pieces so that the animal can not get it all at once. There,
that is all right, and let us hurry on to the next trap. Here it is
and a mink in it and drowned."

"Where is the pen? I do not see it."

"We do not always have a pen. You see that notch in that log where
the water runs over? That is where the trap was set. See this hay
wire that is fastened to the trap chain and which is fastened to that
stone out in the deep water? The mink could not go toward the bank so
it went into the deep water and was drowned."

"Why did you set a double spring trap here?"

"Well, Fred, an otter might happen along and that is just the place
to catch it. You see above the log I have fixed to gage the water as
at the other trap. I do this so the water will not wash the covering
from the trap, or get so deep over the trap that the animal will not
spring it when going over it." "I see that you have got those brush
on either side of the trap with just enough space for the animal to
pass through over the trap." "That is correct, you are catching on,
Fred, all right."

"Don't you use bait where you set a trap in this way?"

"Not often; sometimes I fasten a fish with a horse-hair with a hook
fast to it so that you can hook it to the lower jaw and fasten it in
the water just above the trap; water keeps it moving and attracts the
animal.