direction. All this we might manage, it is
true, by undergoing a great deal of trouble; but I think I know a sort
of trap that will serve our purpose better.'

"`Oh, you do. I am glad. What kind, papa?'

"`You remember where we noticed so many deer tracks running between two
large trees?'

"`Yes, yes, near the salt spring. You said it was a path used by the
deer and other animals, when they went to lick the salt from the rocks
below.'

"`Well--between those two trees let us dig a pit, and cover it over with
branches, and grass, and leaves. Then we shall see. What think you?'

"`Oh, a pit-trap! that's the very thing!'

"Next morning, with our spade and axe, Cudjo, Pompo, and the cart, we
set forth. We were soon upon the ground, and commenced operations. We
first marked out the size of the pit--which was to be eight feet long,
and to extend in width from tree to tree, as near to both as we could
conveniently get for the great roots. Cudjo then set to work with his
spade, while I handled the axe and cut off the spreading roots as they
were laid bare. Harry, meanwhile, employed himself with the hatchet in
getting long slender saplings and canes to cover in the pit. We threw
the earth into the cart, and hauled it off some distance into the
woods--taking care not to spill much of it around the place.
Fortunately the ground was very soft and easily dug up, so that in about
five hours' time we had excavated a square hole, at least seven feet
deep. This would do, thought we. No deer could leap out of that hole,
we were certain.

"We now placed the saplings across the top, and over these a thin
stratum of cane-reeds, and above all this a quantity of long grass and
withered leaves--so as to make it look as like as possible to the rest
of the surface around it. We then removed the clods, and other marks of
our work, put our implements into the cart, and started off home again.
Of course we could do nothing more than wait, until some unlucky deer
should drop into the pit.

"By sunrise on the following morning, we paid a visit to our trap. As
we drew near, we saw to our great joy that the top was broken in.

"`We have caught something, papa,' said Harry as we ran eagerly up to
the ground. What was our astonishment, on looking into the pit, to see
lying along the bottom the naked skeleton of an animal, which we knew at
once was that of a deer! We knew this by the horns, as well as pieces
of the torn skin t