g with first dawn-streak, I was surprised to find Little Fellow and
La Robe Noire, two of my canoemen, setting off for the woods. They had
laid a snare--so they explained--and were going to examine it. Of late I
had grown distrustful of all natives. I suspected these two might be
planning desertion; so I went with them. The way led through a dense
thicket of ferns half the height of a man. Only dim light penetrated the
maze of foliage; and I might easily have lost myself, or been
decoyed--though these possibilities did not occur to me till we were at
least a mile from the beach. Little Fellow was trotting ahead, La Robe
Noire jogging behind, and both glided through the brake without
disturbing a fern branch, while I--after the manner of my race--crunched
flags underfoot and stamped down stalks enough to be tracked by
keen-eyed Indians for a week afterwards. Twice I saw Little Fellow pull
up abruptly and look warily through the cedars on one side. Once he
stooped down and peered among the fern stems. Then he silently signaled
back to La Robe Noire, pointed through the undergrowth and ran ahead
again without explanation. At first I could see nothing, and regretted
being led so far into the woods. I was about to order both Indians back
to the tent, when Little Fellow, with face pricked forward and foot
raised, as if he feared to set it down--for the fourth time came to a
dead stand. Now, I, too, heard a rustle, and saw a vague sinuous
movement distinctly running abreast of us among the ferns. For a moment,
when we stopped, it ceased, then wiggled forward like beast, or serpent
in the underbrush. Little Fellow placed his forefinger on his lips, and
we stood noiseless till by the ripple of the green it seemed to scurry
away.

"What is it, Little Fellow, a cat?" I asked; but the Indian shook his
head dubiously and turned to the open where the trap had been set.

Bending over the snare he uttered an Indian word, that I did not
understand, but have since heard traders use, so conclude it was one of
those exclamations, alien races learn quickest from one another, but
which, nevertheless, are not found in dictionaries. The trap had been
rifled of game and completely smashed.

"Wolverine!" muttered the Indian, making a sweep of his dagger blade at
an imaginary foe. "No wolverine! Bad Indians!"

Scarcely had he spoken when La Robe Noire leaped into the air like a
wounded rabbit. An arrow whizzed past my face and glanced within a