hat higher than those supporting
the rifle. Then he procured another slender but long section of
sapling that reached from the end of the short piece in the
crotch some distance beyond the muzzle of the rifle. The end
beyond the muzzle had the stub of a bough on it, but the end in
the crotch was tied there with a strip of hide. Now, if anything
should pull on the end of this stick, it would cause the shorter
stick to spring the trigger of the rifle and discharge it. Dick
tested everything, saw that all was firmly and properly in place,
and the next thing to do was to bait the trap.

He selected a piece of most tempting deer meat and fastened it
tightly on the hooked end of the long stick. It was obvious that
any animal pulling at this bait would cause the short stick tied
at the other end of it to press against the trigger of the rifle,
and the rifle would be fired as certainly as if the trigger had
been pulled by the hand of man. Moreover, the barrel of the
rifle was parallel with the long stick, and the bullet would
certainly be discharged into the animal pulling at the bait.

After the bait had been put on Dick put the cartridge in the
rifle. He was careful to do this last, as he did not wish to
take any chances with the trap while he was testing it. But he
and Albert ran a little wall of brush off on either side in order
that the cougar, if cougar it were, should be induced to approach
the muzzle directly in front. When all the work was finished,
the two boys inspected it critically.

"I believe that our timber wolves would be too smart to come up
to that trap," said Albert.

"Perhaps," said Dick; "but the wolf has a fine intellect, and
I've never heard that the cougar or puma was particularly noted
for brain power. Anyhow, I know that traps are built for him in
this manner, and we shall see whether it will work."

"Are we going to hide somewhere near by and watch during the
night?"

"There's no need to make ourselves uncomfortable. If the gun
gets him, it'll get him whether we are or are not here."

"That's so," said Albert. "Well, I'm willing enough to take to
the cabin. These nights are growing pretty cold, I can tell
you."

Taking a last look at the gun trap and assuring themselves that
it was all right, they hurried away to Castle Howard. The night
was coming on much colder than any that they had yet had, and
both were glad to get inside. Albert stirred the coals from
beneath the ash