Richland beacon., 1881-11-19

~ rct.mes squirrel, nttener trout
c.!ucAt from the brook.
What d'vou pose got him asked
Chlo. ss ,Jad stood looking ruefully at
the tai, which he held between his
thumb and finger.
Il don't know, uuless twas a glut-
ton, or wildcat. Pa says they are al.
WAYS nosin' round 10 get the bait out ot
traps and what's caugh. in 'em. Con
found him Sven dollars gone down
lis throat " he exclaimed, wrathfullv.
"It's too bad" cned little Chic.
Cant you catch him?'
Jad thought moment. His father
iad steel fo1-trap. He would set thai
and have the thief Leaving Chic. he
hastened TO the house, got the trap and
raced back TO the brook. II was Set al
last to his satisfaction, and baited with
l, squirrel, which he had brought aloug
TO bait his mink-traps with. He drove
Q stake down through the ring iE the
trap-ehAin, 20 a. to hold whatever Was
caught.
Two days passed and not mink had
been near, bu. the bait WAS gone out OF
the steel trap, and also from two OF the
mink-tr traps. With his usual persever-
ance, Jsi rebaited them and waited.
The bait was again eaten out of most of
his mink traps, and, what Was more ex-
asperating, another mink had boen
caught and eaten.
Jad's patience now nearly gave way,
and he was tempted to tar his traps up.
But on second thought heresOlved 10 try
once more. He would bait only the fox
trap.
Jad did not = s;t it the next morning,
as usual, for he WIS obliged to finish
/ harvesting the potatoes. But after din
neI, his father having gone to assist at
putting up log cabin for q newly-r-
rived ttler, some two miles distant,
Jal aid Chic set off for the brook,
hatchct and tishpole in hand.
( As they neared the place where the
/ fox-trap WAS set they heard the chain
clinking.
Il bet my head we've got him !" Jad
cried excitedly, dashing through cl.mE
Of cedars.
/ And, sure enough, there he was.
big, round-headed wildcat
At Jad's sudden appearance the Great
ure bounded and lesped frantically t.
free himself; but the stake wss stront
one.
After cutting a stout green club thre'
or four feet in length, Jad stuck th'
hatchet beneath the strap which he wor'
for belt, and going rs near ~ he dare<
rtruck at the creature with ali his might.
He missed however. and the cat ':artet
round 70 the other sids, "l 'He s''A''
bringing up with a sudden jerL. "ie''
it erouched, growing low and watchiia
the boy with fiery eyes and ears laid
back.
"Oh, don't go so near him, Jad y
cautioned little Chic, retreating across
the brook. Hell hy at ye fore ye
know it"
Let i'm fly I" cried the now-excited
boy. "He's going to get his head
cracked fore I'm done with i'm! Take
that, We sneakin' thiefl" he added,
venturing up and bringing down thu
club, with . quick blow, Just grazing
the animal as he again jumped to th'
other side.
Then round and round the stake the,
few, Jad humping the ground. trap
anything but the cat, which adroitl.
kept out of his reach, all the time furi
ously snarlin9 and splitting. 1t VII
hard telling which was pursuer as the.
gyrated about the stake amid perfec
whirlwind of dead leaves.
But in an unlucky moment Jad's clu
got under the trap chain, and bringin
1t up suddenly he threw the ring owe
the top of the stake. With bound tn
creature was of, the chain rattling aft
him and catching under roots an
stones.
There was not a second to lose, an
the boy ga<e hot chase. They ran o
for fifty rods or more then, seeing ia
so close upon him, the cat scratched IL
the trunk of hemlock, trap and al
and from the branches glared at tl
painting and excited boy.
Jal's courage was now up to the higl
est pitch, and throwing down his clu
he began to climb the rough trunk.
Don't go up there, Jsd, for pity
sake, don't! !" implored little Chic, no
: coming up all out Of breath.
"Y4s, an let him go Of with pas trs
on his foot, wouldn't ye? Just like
: girl-fraid Of her own shadder crit
Jad scornfully. Il tell yer, he's got
g paw for them mink with his skin-see
5 - 1on,t ~ and ba climha4 nm lahC