afternoon set them at different points in the
path, between the border of the cranberry flat and the river. Then
drawing our canoe up out of the water, we encamped on the stream about
a mile below the path, and waited for the game.

Our stock of deer meat had got out. We had to content ourselves, both
for supper and breakfast, the following morning, with a couple of
hares--lean as usual. Who ever saw a fat hare?

Old hunters are always telling the young sportsman about the
marvellous properties of shaving-soap made from hare's tallow and
cedar ashes. The flesh has about as much taste and nutrition in it
as--so much paper pulp, for want of a better comparison to express its
utter lack of flavor. But during the forenoon we managed to shoot four
partridges. These we first parboiled in our camp kettle, then broiled
on coals. They made us a comfortable dinner; and towards sunset we
again paddled up the stream, to visit the traps.

Coming near where the path strikes out from the river, we drew up the
dug-out, and followed in to the place where we had set the first trap.
It was gone; but the grass about the spot was beaten down, and the
bushes broken. And on looking around, we discovered a trail leading
off through the weeds. Following this for ten or a dozen rods, we came
to a large, rough stone; and near it lay the trap, shattered and bent,
with the springs broken, and the jaws gaping and powerless. The stone,
too, looked newly scratched, as if from heavy blows. The trap had
evidently been beaten upon.

"Some large animal," said I.

"Bear, probably," said Rod. "They will frequently smash up a small
trap to get it off their feet."

Whatever it was, the creature had freed himself and gone. Rod picked
up the broken trap, and we went back, and on to the next.

This one was just as we had placed it--not sprung. So we kept on to
the third, which was sprung, but empty, with little clots of hair
clinging to the teeth. The hair looked like that of a sable; but he,
too, had escaped.

The fourth was sprung and drawn out of the path. We crept cautiously
up, and lo! we had a contemptible little musquash (muskrat)--skin not
worth a shilling. He was busy as a bee gnawing at his leg. In a few
minutes more he would have been at liberty--minus a foot. If left any
length of time after being caught, they will frequently gnaw off the
leg in the trap. For this reason, those who make a business of
trapping them set their traps under wat