your second
barrel, I reckon, old fellow," cried Frank, hurrying forward to pick up
the partridge.

"Yes, I've no doubt I would; but that's the first time I ever had any
one step in and beat me clean. I'll have to watch out for you after
this, you sly 'possum. But then you've shot lots of these birds up in
Maine, I suppose?"

"Plenty of them; but up there they light in trees, and the natives don't
hesitate to drop them while they sit."

"That's little short of murder," said Jerry.

After an hour's walk they reached the camp of old Jesse.

"There it is, boys," said Frank, pointing ahead.

"And he's home, too; something I hardly expected at this time of day,"
from Jerry. "Because if he has a line of traps the morning is the time he
tends them, I'm told."

As they approached, the man in the camp turned and saw them. He was a
tall and angular fellow, well on in years, and with keen eyes that seemed
always looking for signs around him.

"Say, boys, this here is right nice o' you, comin' to look me up. Out on
a leetle hunt to-day?" he asked, as he shook hands all around.

"We've come up to camp out for a couple of weeks, while repairs are made
to the school building, damaged in the gale of wind," answered Frank.

"Sho, ye don't say? Well, now, that's fine! I'll be right glad to see
sumpin' o' ye while around. Whar's the camp, Jerry?"

"At the spring under the twin hemlocks. We wanted to run over and see
how you were getting on. Started to put out your traps yet, Jesse?"
asked the other.

"Oh! I got a few in line. Season's a bit early yet, ye see. Bringing in
some musquash," and he swept his hand around at a dozen wooden frames
upon which the skins were drying in the shade.

"Please let me get a picture of you at work, just as you were when we
came up," said the ambitious photographer, keen on the subject that
interested him most.

The trapper grinned good-naturedly.

"Fire away, then. So long as I don't give away any o' my secret ways o'
preparin' the pelts, I don't keer. I'm some proud o' that shack, too.
Sheds the rain, an' kin be kept warm easy; what more do a feller want?"
he observed.

The operation was speedily completed.

"Hope you feel better now you've got that out of your system,"
said Jerry.

"I have five more exposures on this roll of film, boys. Hope to get
something worth while before we start back to camp," retorted Will,
caressing his new camera.

"Where do you get the muskrats, Jess