ing for mates.

"When they set the traps it is the regular thing to fasten the end of
the chain out just so far in the water, where it is deep enough to drown
the mink; once the trap snaps upon the leg of the animal its instinct
causes it to spring into the creek, and being weighed down by the trap,
it is soon drowned; this saves needless suffering, does not injure the
fur, and prevents the mink gnawing off its own foot in the mad desire to
escape."

"Say, that's mighty interesting, now," declared Eli, bending down to
examine the trap again; "I didn't know there was so much to the pesky
business--had an idea all you had to do was to find where the animals
held out, stick a trap there, and go out the next day and grab your
fur."

Owen laughed heartily at this.

"I'm afraid such a trapper would not get enough mink, otter, fox, or
even muskrat skins to buy his tobacco in a season. Why, these little
varmints are just chain lightning when it comes to cleverness, and they
can sometimes outwit the smartest old trapper who ever drew breath.
There are a thousand secrets connected with the business, and no one man
carries them all. Many of these have been handed down from some of those
old fellows who used to spend their lives trapping for the Hudson Bay
and the Northwest Fur Companies at the time these two were great rivals
over the whole of the fur country. You'd find it a most interesting
subject if you ever chose to dig into it. Of course, I've picked up
quite a few of these secrets and can do my share of a season's work,
though it never did appeal to me strongly enough to carry it on as a
business. If you went along up this stream you'd find a dozen traps or
more, some of them perhaps with a mink or, it might be, an otter in
their jaws, but always drowned. Now, I'm going to leave this foot just
where I found it. This man ought to be more careful. In the eyes of a
first class worker it's a sign of poor business to find a foot in a
trap. Perhaps he'll take warning and improve his methods. I hope so, for
I don't like the idea of a number of these poor little beasts hopping
around on three legs for the balance of their lives."

"I can see that nature never intended you for a trapper, Owen," remarked
Cuthbert, sagely; "for you have too much sympathy in your composition. I
imagine a man has to harden himself to all such things before he can
become a successful fur gatherer; but then it is necessary that there
should be some