that I was suspicioned of being a spy in search of
blockaders. I told this man that there could be nothing farther from
it, that that would be the last thing I would mix up in, even if I
knew of any such business, that I was simply a trapper and had no
other business there.

The man, said that he knew that as soon as he heard my name for he
had known of me for the past four years, ever since he had been a
reader of the _H-T-T._ This gentleman told me not to worry, but to
stay in my tent a day or two before going out to set my traps, and
everything would be all right. I hardly knew what to do, but as it
was raining I could not well break camp that night. Five or six men
came to camp. Some were those who had been there before, and
questioned me as to my business there. But now they were acting
entirely different. Now these gentlemen rushed in with hands extended
to shake hands and welcome me and offer me any assistance that they
were able to give, and nearly all of them offered me a drachm of corn
juice. I stayed a few days longer in camp there, and each day friends
grew more numerous and corn juice more plentiful. I stayed a day or
two and saw that friends were going to be so numerous that it would
be next to impossible for me to get out on the trap line for some
days at least, so broke camp and pulled for Pennsylvania.

CHAPTER XXXI.

On the Trap and Trot Line in the South--Fall of 1912.

Well, comrades of the trap line, as I see so many interesting letters
from trappers in the H-T-T, the best of all sporting magazines, I
will relate some of my experiences in the South, season of 1912.
During the latter part of the winter and the greater part of the
summer, my health was so poor that I never again expected to be able
to enjoy the pleasures of the trap line. But as time passed and I was
able to get out into the fields and wander about, I became stronger
from day to day until in the last days of October, when the frost
began to crisp the air and the leaves on the trees on the hillsides
became a golden hue, it drove the trapping fever into me to such a
degree that I was unable to resist the temptation any longer.

I took six or eight traps and went to the brush within sight of the
house. I was obliged to use a good, strong staff to climb the hill
with and could only take a few steps at a time, without stopping to
take my breath. But, boys, I found this sort of exercise better for
me than the doctor's medicine tha