hat were strewed all over the ground. All around the
inside of the trap there were evidences of some terrible struggle that
had taken place during the night; and the reeds and grass that had
fallen in along with the animal were sprinkled with blood, and trampled
down upon the bottom of the pit.

"`What can it be?' inquired Harry, as we stood gazing at this unexpected
picture. `Ha! papa, I'll wager it was the wolves!'

"`No doubt,' replied I; `it must have been they. The buck has fallen in
during the night; and they have just leaped down upon, and made a meal
of him.'

"`Isn't it too bad,' said Harry, in a tone of vexation, `that we should
have constructed so fine a trap just to accommodate those rascally
wolves? Isn't it too bad?'

"`Have a little patience,' said I, `we shall see what can be done to
punish the ravenous brutes. Run back to the house, and bring Cudjo,
with his cart and tools--be sure you tell him to bring the large
basket.'

"In a short time Cudjo came with his spade and cart, and we get freshly
to work upon the pit. It was now so deep that we had to use the large
willow-basket which Cudjo had made some time before. This we slung upon
a thong of deer's hide; and lowering it into the pit, we filled it with
the earth, drew it up again, and emptied it into the cart. It was
somewhat laborious work; and Cudjo and I took turns about with the
basket and spade. After a couple of hours or so, we had added four feet
to the depth of our pit, which made it twelve in all. Of course we cut
the sides as nearly perpendicular as we could--if anything a little
hanging over. We covered it as before, putting fresh leaves and grass
on the top of all.

"`Now,' said we to one another, as we marched off, `let us see the wolf
that will leap out of that, should he be only fool enough to drop into
it. He may kill the deer while he is in, but we shall do the same for
him in the morning.'

"Next morning we started forth again, big with expectation. Our whole
party went,--Frank, Mary, and the little ones,--as they were all eager
to see the trap, and whether we had taken anything. Cudjo brought with
him his long spear, while Harry and I carried our rifles. Frank armed
himself with his bow. We were prepared for the wolves every way.

"As we drew near the trap, Harry, who had gone a few paces in advance of
the rest, came running back to announce that the top was broken in, and
that there was some animal inside.