ex' week, an'
I was t'ousan' miles 'way from here."

"You're braver than I am," laughed the boy; "it's nothing for me to go,
because I'm not scared, but you're scared stiff--and you're going
anyway."

"Humph," grinned the Indian, "I ain' know w'at you mean--you say, if you
scare, you brave--an' if you ain' scare, you ain' so brave. By Goss! I
lak dat better if I ain' so mooch brave, den--an' ain' so mooch scare
neider."

Travelling heavy, darkness overtook them some six or eight miles from
their destination, and they camped. The sun was an hour high next
morning when they pushed out on to the snow-covered ice and headed for
the high hill at the end of the lake. 'Merican Joe agreed to look at the
traps on the way up while Connie held the dogs to a course parallel to
the shore. As the Indian was about to strike out he pointed excitedly
toward the point where he had made the first set. Connie looked, and
there, jumping about on the snow, with his foot in the trap was a
beautiful black fox! It is a sight that thrills your trapper to the
marrow, for here is the most valuable skin that it is possible for him
to take, and forgetting for the moment his fear of the lake, 'Merican
Joe struck off across the snow. A few moments later he halted, stared at
the fox, and turning walked slowly back to the sled.

"Mebbe-so dat fox is de fox dat yell lak' de man. She black fox, too.
Me--I'm 'fraid to tak' dat fox out de trap. I'm 'fraid she talk to me!
An' by Goss! She say jus' wan word to me, I git so scare I die!"

Connie laughed. "Here, you take the dogs and I'll look at the traps. I
remember where they all are, and I'll take out the foxes. But you will
have to reset the traps, later."

As Connie approached, the fox jerked and tugged at the chain in an
effort to free himself from the trap, but he was fairly caught and the
jaws held. Connie drew his belt ax, for 'Merican Joe had explained that
the fox is too large and lively an animal to be held with the bow of the
snowshoe like the marten, while the trapper feels for his heart. He must
be stunned by a sharp blow on the nose with the helve of the ax, after
which it is an easy matter to pull his heart. As he was about to strike,
the boy straightened up and stared at a small white band that encircled
the neck of the fox. It was a collar of ermine skin! And as he continued
to stare, little prickly chills shot up and down his spine. For a moment
he stood irresolute, and then, pulling