The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-07-06

| cit is SO far" she said, refectively.
And have you forgotten the raven that
perched on our roof no longer ago than
| Wednesday week? / fear its visit viii
bring us no good. The day before your
poor father was lost q raven perched
upon the house-top and croaked dismal
! ly. 1t was an ill-omened bird.
! 81 saw two ravens the same day, and
| don't yor remember how hard it froze
that night? and found three foxes IN
the trap next morning. No won
der the black fellow croaked SO the
other day; | suppose it was because II
was cold.'
Jan said this very seriously, but there
was a shrewd humor in his black eyes.
His mother sighed. She was think
ing of stout Ulf's fate, and the ravens
visit had filled her mind with dread
foreboding.
However, after breakfast was over,
she told Use that she might put on her
eider-lined jacket and scarlet cloth
hood, and go with her brother. The
child needed no second bidding, and by
the time Jan was ready she was pre-
pared for the journey.
Mind and let nothing befall your
sister, JAM" enjoined the widow, as the
children, hand in hand, walked away
from the door, the boy carrying
sharp Ratchet in his hand, the only
weapon he had. Lead her carefully
over the ice, and return as early as you
can
Eyes, yes, l WILL" replied Jan. I'VE
will get back by noon; and don't worry,
mother; | don't believe the raven
meant anything"
They skipped away, talking and
laughing merrily. Their mother stood
and watched them as they went across
the snow-feld watched them until
she could distinguish no longer JAMS
green spencer or Uses scarlet hood, and
then, uttering a sigh, she returned to
her household labors.
The place where JAMS traps were set
was at some distance from the hut. lie
had several set, indeed, near the sea,
for seals, and only the second day be-
|
big fellow in one of them.
But the traps he was going to visit
this morning were set for wolves, arc
| tic foxes, and smaller animals that
| sometimes were seen in that cold north
ern land.
These traps were nothing like those
with which the boys of New England
are familiar.
Jan did not have a single steel trap
in his possession. His traps were made
mostly of ice, something after the prin-
ciple of the colleague and the figure
four combined, or perhaps more like
| big box-traps.
He had spent five days in the early
winter in making them. For bait he
used fish for seals, and for foxes moth
ing less than cheese made from old
Mans milk.
The preceding day and night snow
had fallen and it lay pretty thickly on
the ice, but in many places it had blown
off and the children had no trouble in
advancing.
After having passed half mile or
so, they turned around a cliff and lost
sight of the cottage. The traps were
half-mle further on, and they pro-
ceeded toward them in as direct man
ner as they could, only turning from
their course to avoid the deep drifts,
and usually finding path over the ice
that was free from ice and slippery as
glass. In some places, however, this
path was so narrow that they could not
walk abreast.
When they had nearly arrived at the
traps Jan noticed several large tracks
in the soft snow. He paused moment
to examine them.
Keen as n young Eskimo, he knew
at once that they were made by a bear,
and also that they must have been left
there since the snow stopped falling.
| Perhaps the dreaded animal had visited
his traps. He might even be there
then, and would it not be dangerous to
keep on?
The brave boy looked around with a
sharp, eager eye, but he saw nothing of
any animal in sight.
He stood and listened, thinking the
bear might already be close at hand.
Nothing was to be heard. Possibly
Bruin had wandered far away by this
time, and at the thought Jan concluded
to go on.
1t was only few steps now to the
traps, or, as they might be called, ice
houses, where he hoped at least to find
a fox or marten entrapped.
They had all been securely set, and
with bait that was peculiarly attractive
to the fur-bearing animals of that re-
gion. The first one he arrived at he
found undisturbed. But the second!
All, that one was sprung! He knew it
even before he saw the fallen ice-bar.
There must be something in it, then.
He ran forward in his great excite
ment, leaving Use to trudge along more
slowly. The trap was occupied
tie lifted up the block of ice that
focmed the entrance, and there lay a
great gray fox, looking gaunt and
I