p up. Some trappers do not do this and then they
think that the shy animal turned the trap over. We will now cover the
trap with those water soaked leaves after which we will take this
piece of moss as large as your hand, and with this forked stick put
the moss on it, and place it on the pan of the trap."

"Would the bear smell it, if you put it on with your hands?"

"No, but if the trap should accidentally spring it would be better to
catch the stick than your hand. Now we will cut this coon carcass
into two or three pieces and put it back in the bait pen about three
feet from the trap. There we have it fixed all right. We will now go
over the ridge to where there is another bear trap set and will eat
our lunch as we go along."

"How did you know that a fox would go on that log where that trap was
set?"

"By knowing the nature of the animal. When the fox smelled the bear
bait in the pen there, I knew that he would get on the highest point
near the pen to investigate and that point was that log."

"Is this the only way you catch foxes?"

"No, that is only one of the many ways. Here we are; the trap is
right down in the head of this hollow; that is a dark place down
there, yes, that is the kind of a place that bears like to travel
through. I can see the pen, but I do not see the clog. Yes, the clog
is gone, I guess that Bruin has put his foot in it this time. Now go
still and look sharp and see if we can find him anywhere for a bear
will try hard and get away when they first see you. He has gone this
way, see how he has torn down the brush and has turned up those old
logs. He will not do that long and after a little we may be obliged
to circle in places to find the trail. Here he has gone up this steep
side hill but he will not go far that way. See how he has torn this
old tree top up and gnawed those logs and those trees, he has been
past here. He has gone straight back down the hill. Now he will keep
along this side hill, for he may cross this hollow back and forth
three or four times before we find him fast. Here is the trail again,
he has gone back up the hill. We will work up the hill so as to keep
on the highest ground."

"You have followed these bear trails a good many times, haven't you?"

"Yes, in 1900 I followed one seven days that broke the chain and went
up with the trap, and then another party ran across the bear and
killed it. I did not even get my trap back. They said they hung the
trap up in a t