New Britain herald., 1928-10-19

When the man who had set the traps for Jimmy Skunk went down to look at them the next day he dis covered at once that one trap was sprung. The two other traps were just as he had left them. That's queer" said the man. T don't see how that Skunk could have sprung that trap without being caught" He picked up the trap and examined 1t carefully. He thought he might find some black or white hairs in it. But not 8 single black or white hair did he find in the trap.
 That Skunk didn't spring that trap" the man decided. "Something else must have sprung it.
 He looked very carefully in the soft earth for Jimmy. Skunk's foot prints. There were none. When he had set those traps he had sprinkled some fine dust over them. It would have been impossible for Jimmy to have stepped in that fine dust and not leave a footprint.
 '"That Skunk is still under the barn." decided the man. I'll just leave these traps here. I'll get him sooner or later"
 So he reset the wicked steel trap that had been sprung. sifted more dust over it and went on his way. He was sure he would have that Skunk.
 Now, Jimmy had been right near that opening when the man visited the trap. He had kept quiet, but he hadn't missed anything that was go- ing on. He knew just what the man was doing. He listened to the sot,nd of the mans footsteps dying away. Then he sighed. Its no use," said Jimmy to himself, flor me to think lof getting out this way. There isn't another opening I can get out. l Iguess I've got to do some work. don't like digging, but it looks to me las if I shall have to dig this time. Its good thing I can dig. If l couldn't dig would be in a peck of 'trouble.'
 He went back to the other end of the barn. He went along the edge tohtAb h0 iooiu d PidNC " I'IC tiiC earth was fairly soft. Then he began Ito dig. He was going to dig down under the foundation. He didn't hurry about it. You know Jimmy seldom hurries. There was nothing to hurry for. So he just took his time about it. He dug while: then he rested a while. Then he dug a while longer; then he rested a while. It wasn't very much of a job after all. Sooner than he had dared hope would be the case, he was under the under -pinning. Then he began to dig up. Presently he poked his head right outside. Jimmy drew long breath. Then he shook himself and combed the dirt out of his coat and made himself neat, for Jimmy Skunk is a very neat person.
 What do you think Jimmy did then? He deliberately walked around to the end of the barn where the hole was. He wanted to see those traps from the outside. You see, Jimmy has just as much curiosity as any one else. But he took great care not to go too near them At first he couldn't see them, for they had been sprinkled with dust. It looked as if there were no traps there. But Jimmy knew better. There were some small stones lying about. Jim- my turned and with his hindfeet he kicked some of these stones toward the place where he thought the traps were. At first nothing happened. Then a fairly good-sized stone rolled right onto the pan of one of those tEtps. Two wicked jaws leaped into the air and came together with . snap. It was so sudden that, al- though he had expected it. Jimmy Skunk jumped. Then he turned and