f some water-fowl.

Tim gazed up and down-stream, but saw nothing that would serve as a
dinner. He could have enticed a fish or two from their element, but he
had set his heart upon partaking of a bird, and was not willing to
accept anything else. Accordingly, he began walking down the bank of
the creek in search of one.

In such a country as was Minnesota forty years ago, the difficult
matter would have been to _avoid_ game rather than to find it. The
trapper had searched but a short distance, when he caught sight of a
single ptarmigan under the opposite bank. In a twinkling Tim's rifle
was raised, and, as it flashed forth its deadly messenger, the bird
made a single struggle, and then floated, a dead object, down the
current.

Although rather anxious for his prize, the trapper, like many a hunter
since that day, was not willing to receive a wet skin so long as it
was possible to avoid it. The creek could be only of inconsiderable
depth, yet, on such a blustering day, he felt a distaste toward
exposing himself to its chilling clasp. Some distance below he noticed
the creek narrowed and made a curve. At this point he hoped to draw it
in shore with a stick, and he lost no time in hurrying to the point.
Arrived there, the trapper stood on the very margin of the water,
with a long stick in hand, waiting for the opportune moment. He
naturally kept his eye upon the floating bird, as any animal watches
the prey that he is confident is coming directly into his clutches.

From the opposite bank projected a large, overhanging bush, and such
was the bird's position in the water, that it was compelled to float
within a foot, at least, of this. Tim's eyes happened to be fixed
intently upon it at this moment, and, at the very instant it was at
the point named, he saw a person's hand flash out, seize the ptarmigan
by the neck, and bring it in to shore in a twinkling.

Indignation upon the part of the trapper was perhaps as great as his
surprise. He raised his rifle, and had it already sighted at the point
where he was confident the body of the thief must be concealed, when a
second thought caused him to lower his piece, and hurry up-stream, to
a spot directly opposite where the bird had disappeared.

Here he searched the shore narrowly, but could detect no sign of the
presence of any person. That there was, or had at least been, one
there, needed no further confirmation. The trapper was in no mood to
put up with the loss of hi