ke, and in
each made an ash bed on which he scattered three or four drops of the
smell-charm. Then, twenty-five yards from each, on the north or west
side (the side of the prevailing wind) he hung from some sapling a few
feathers, a partridge wing or tail with some red yarns to it. He left
the places unvisited for two weeks, then returned to learn the progress
of act one.

Judging from past experience of fox nature and from the few signs that
were offered by the snow, this is what had happened: A fox came along
soon after the trappers left, followed the track a little way, came to
the first opening, smelled the seductive danger-lure, swung around it,
saw the dangling feathers, took alarm, and went off. Another of the
places had been visited by a marten. He had actually scratched in the
ashes. A wolf had gone around another at a safe distance.

Another had been shunned several times by a fox or by foxes, but they
had come again and again and at last yielded to the temptation to
investigate the danger-smell; finally had rolled in it, evidently
wallowing in an abandon of delight. So far, the plan was working there.

The next move was to set the six strong fox traps, each thoroughly
smoked, and chained to a fifteen-pound block of wood.

Approaching the place carefully and using his blood-rubbed glove, Quonab
set in each ash pile a trap. Under its face he put a wad of white rabbit
fur. Next he buried all in the ashes, scattered a few bits of rabbit and
a few drops of smell-charm, then dashed snow over the place, renewed
the dangling feathers to lure the eye; and finally left the rest to the
weather.

Rolf was keen to go the next day, but the old man said: "Wah! no good!
no trap go first night; man smell too strong." The second day there
was a snowfall, and the third morning Quonab said, "Now seem like good
time."

The first trap was untouched, but there was clearly the track of a large
fox within ten yards of it.

The second was gone. Quonab said, with surprise in his voice, "Deer!"
Yes, truly, there was the record. A deer--a big one--had come wandering
past; his keen nose soon apprised him of a strong, queer appeal near
by. He had gone unsuspiciously toward it, sniffed and pawed the
unaccountable and exciting nose medicine; then "snap!" and he had sprung
a dozen feet, with that diabolic smell-thing hanging to his foot. Hop,
hop, hop, the terrified deer had gone into a slashing windfall. Then the
drag had caught on