Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-05-04

down head and ears under the buff
falo," and before little Bob knew il
they were at the camp.
Then Ben raked open the FIRE in the
wide fireplace, dragged a black kettle
out Of the embers onto the hearth, and
threw on great snow-coyered logs that
Kissed and steamed ana sent the ashes
flying ont in little clouds.
But oh. such delicious oder greeted
little Bob's nostrils, And il came ont OF
that bubbling black kettle. What 3cas
in il? And old Ben shufiied So slowly
about, shaking the snow ont Of his
great coat, hanging his leggings mp to
dry, and sweeping the hearth with
green, spicy-smelling hemloclS broom
that snapped angrily as he switched it
up into the flames
Bob was hungry as little dog He
just couldn't wait, and when Ben went
TO hang mp his broom he slylv lifted the
lid of the kettle.
Beans! golden-brow and juicy and
rich. with Whit of onions that near
" lifted Bob off his toes. and made his
hungry little stomach cry-out loud
almost.
But Trspper Ben did not keep him
long waiting, for in a minute he raised
his table-a board hung by two hinges
TO the side of the camp-drew up two
stools. and supper was ready Bob had
a tin dipper of tea to drink, in which
Ben put lots of molasses because he
was company. Mamma shut her eyes
and shuddered when Bob told her
about il.
Then it was dark, and Ben took Bob
up to the loft to bed He stuffed an
old jacket into the broken window,
and went out to see about his chores
and near traps.
| Bob had never seen Just such a bed
A long, wide box filed with sprigs of
fragment evergreen and covered with
bearskins! Bob crept between the
skins, and lay with wide-open eyes
watching the freight dance on the
rough, low roof as il glinted up
| through the cracks of the loose floor
Presently there was rustic some
where under the caves Bob's ears
were on the alert Perhaps it was a
mouse! Then there was an odd little
chuckle that brought Bob up on his ell
bow, his great black eyes staring hard
ont into the dusky corners. Then all
at once a wild cry rang through the
loft
Down ducked Bob beneath the great,
| friendly bearskin that he had before
/ looked upon almost with terror He
clutched its long hair, and held it close
over his head.
What could be that dreadful sound?
Surely nothing less than a wildcat
could scream like that, thought Bob
He must have got into the camp while
Ben was away. Bob had heard him
tell how fierce they were, and how far
they could leap. lie expected a pounce
upon the bearsllin any minute, and he
groaned softly and wished himself safe
at home in his own trundle-bed
''Scree-oo-oo-oor' shouted that cry
again.
Bob was in a panic, and dug farther
down among the evergreens
Then he heard faint scratching be-
hind the box in which he lay.
''Scree-oo-ooi Oo-scree-oo-oo-een
This was too much. Bob tossed the
bearskin topsyturvy, and stumbled
down the crooked stairs as old Ben APP
peared in the camp door.
Wildcats? You don't tell met cried
Trapper Ben, clambering up the stairs.
why, bless my heart! if faint lit
tie squinch-owl [screech-owl he meant!
He couldn't hurt anything bigger than
mouse, Bob. He must have come
through the broken window to get in
out of the storm"
Didn't they laugh! and Bob stroked
the fluffy. solemn little face with its
big google eyes; then Ben opened the
door, and it flew out into the storm
\ 8.