s Darry's answer.

The young fellow thrust out his hand, while his gaze still-remained
riveted on Darry's face.

As the boy walked rapidly away, feeling a sense of overpowering delight
at the prospect ahead if all things went well, something caused him to
glance back, and he saw Paul Singleton shaking his head while sauntering
toward the village, as if something puzzled him greatly.

Darry could not understand what ailed the other, or how anything about
his appearance should attract so fine a young gentleman.

He told Mrs. Peake about it, and while she looked displeased at first,
Darry was so apparently loth to leave her that the better element in the
woman's nature soon pushed to the front.

"Of course you can go, after a little. There's nothing to prevent. It
will be a fine thing for you, and may lead to something better. We have
put through one winter without a man in the house, and can again. Time
was when all my children were little, and even then Abner used to be
away most of the time. Don't worry about us, Darry. When the time comes,
I say, go," was what she remarked.

How the skies were brightening for him!

And only a few days back he had faced such a gloomy prospect that it
appalled him!

Now he whistled as he worked, rubbing up the various traps taken from
Joe's box, and preparing to sally out for his first experience in trying
to catch the muskrats that haunted the borders of the watercourses in
the marshes near by.

Carrying that invaluable little notebook along for reference in case he
should become puzzled about anything, and with a few traps slung over
his shoulder Darry followed the paths along the edge of the marsh until
he reached one that seemed to enter the waste land.

Joe had designated this as his favorite tramp, since it paralleled the
creek, and the burrows of the little fur-bearing animals could be easily
located.

Presently Darry was busily engaged in examining the bank, and it was not
long before he had found what he sought.

This was a hole just below the water line.

There were also the tracks of the occupants close by, showing just how
they issued from their snug home to forage for food.

He carefully set his trap under a few inches of water, so that the first
rat coming forth and starting to climb the bank would set his hind feet
in it.

The chain he fastened to a stake out in the creek.

This was done in order that the little rodent would be quickly drowned.

Trapp