The three boys followed close at his heels, each picking his way, and walking on his tiptoes, as though that would make any difference.

So they entered the edge of the swamp.

Suddenly the man came to a halt and stooping, pointed ahead.

"Looky yonder," he whispered hoa.r.s.ely, "that's somebody stealing out o'

my traps!"

CHAPTER VIII

WHERE IS BLUFF?

"Where?" gasped Will, making as if anxious to get a snapshot of the thief in the very act.

"Keep quiet!" whispered Frank, giving him a push.

There was some one bending over the edge of the water, for they could catch a glimpse of his back.

"Stay here an' watch me scare the critter!" said old Jesse, with a frown.

He glided forward, very like an Indian brave creeping up on his enemy.

Whoever the offender might be, he seemed to have no suspicion that danger hung over his head.

Suddenly the trapper jumped forward, and the boys saw him seize his prey.

"Wow! talk about your wildcats springing, that was a corker!"

Jerry led the way forward, though hard put to it to keep ahead of his eager companions, anxious to a.s.sist the trapper if he needed help.

"Take that, you pelt thief, and that! Let me ketch ye at my traps agin an' I'll jest waste a bullet on one o' yer legs. Kim up here an' steal my skins, will ye? Thar's another fur ye. Oh, howl all ye want to, I'm larnin' ye a lesson."

The hearty kicks with which he punctuated this speech brought forth a whoop of pain from the recipient on each occasion.

"Why, it's Pet Peters!" exclaimed Frank.

There was a snap.

"Thank you!" cried Will, with a satisfied grin; he had succeeded in taking a snapshot of the struggling couple while their faces were exposed.

"It'll do as evidence when I want ter send this critter to jail, which I'll sartin do if he ever comes a foolin' 'round my traps agin. I bet that snake Bud Rabig set him up ter it. Skeered to come hisself, an'

sends a boy. Now, you git!"

This time the kick was so tremendous that it actually lifted Andy Lasher's crony clear off his feet, and started him in a mad flight along the edge of the swamp. As he ran wildly he kept bellowing in pain, and holding both hands back of him.

The temptation was more than Will could stand, and another "click"

announced that he had secured a second retreating view of the poacher.

"At this rate I'll soon have my six rolls done," he announced, triumphantly.

"What harm did he do?" asked Frank.

The trapper made an investigation.

"Jest ketched him in time. Ye see he bed got the game outen the steel, an' was tryin' to sot the trap again so as I wouldn't know it. That proves he was sent up here by that sneakin' Bud Rabig; fur what would the boy know about fixin' a trap if he didn't git guided?"

Jerry picked up the drowned muskrat and examined it.

"Pretty soft fur it has. Lots of it used nowadays I understand,"

he observed.

"Yas, but mostly under other names. Fur is a-gittin' skeercer all the time, an' they hev to come to stuff they used to larf at. Now watch me sot her, boys."

They were all interested in the manner in which the trap was set, for much care and ingenuity is required in order to outwit the cautious instincts of the animal; though muskrats are not half so timid as some other animals whose fur is coveted by the trappers.

"Now fur the next trap. Hope I don't find a thief has be'n thar too,"

said Jesse.

Evidently Pet Peters had just started in to follow up the line of traps, as described to him by Bud Rabig the rival of old Jesse, for they saw no more evidences of a visit.

When an hour had pa.s.sed they were carrying five victims of the steel traps.

Jerry did not much fancy the business.

He tried to be a thorough sportsman all the time, and anything that savored of the habits of a game butcher, or trapping and shooting for the market, grated on his nerves.

After this Jesse led them to where he had a bear trap located, and here they were compelled to exercise considerable caution, because Bruin is a suspicious beast, and easily frightened away.

But the trap was not sprung; and Jesse from a little distance explained to his young friends how it lay concealed under the fallen leaves at a place where he knew a bear frequented in pa.s.sing to and fro.

"I'm goin' to look up his den in a few days, before he shuts in fur the winter, an' sot my trap, whar he's jest bound to tread in it goin' or comin'. Now, if so be ye feels that way, let's git back to camp an' hatch up some sorter dinner Ever eat musquash, boys?"

"What, eat muskrats?" exclaimed Jerry, in disgust.

"I never have, but would like to try the dish," remarked Frank. "Up in Maine the trappers told me they were fine in winter weather."

Will said not a word, but his lip curled, as though nothing could tempt him to even take a taste of such a queer dish.

It was high noon when they arrived at the shack of the old trapper, and all of the boys felt sharp pressed with hunger.

"I hope he's got something else besides muskrat--ugh!" said Jerry to Will.

"I saw part of a deer hanging up before we left here," replied the other.

Jerry licked his lips in antic.i.p.ation.