Year: 1875

ing sharp lookout on all sides. But
we saw nothing of the animal ; and
reached home about nine o'clock in the
forenoon.


On the way home we had decided not
to say much about the fright we had
received. But we told Toms older
brother, Addison, and another young
man in the neiRhborhood, named Dan
Murch. They laughed Mt us at first,
but finally said they would go back with
us in the afternoon, and take their guns
with them. But they was sure it was a
bear we had seen.


So after dinner we all five set off, and
reached our camp OF the previous night
about three o'clock. On looking about,
we found tracks in the mud on the bank
of the stream, near where the partridges
had been devoured, as large as the palm
of a mans hand, with marks of claws.
And close by our camp, where we had
cleaned our trout, there were more of
the tracks, rs if the creature had eaten
up the refuse after we had left in the
morning. When they saw these tracks
the older boys changed their minds, and
said it must have been a very large
woodstock or fisher-cat.


To lure the creature, several part





bushes q few rods from the camp; and
Addison caught string of trout, some
of which he hung in the same way.


Now that we had the older boys with
us, and the guns well loaded, we felt
very much braver, and ate our share of
trout and the potatoes we had brought
and roasted. AS soon as it became
dusk, we got under our shed and sat
quiet, keeping Rover with us. Save the
lonely hooting of the owls and the chirp
of the crickets, no sound WAS heard till
quite late in the evening. Then Rover
growled, and we saw the hair begin to
rise on his neck and shoulders.


"Whist !" muttered Dan. "He's
coming, sure"


A few minutes later we heard twigs
snap. Every gun was now held ready.
A little after, heard the same snuffiing
sound that we heard the night before,
and soon saw the creature creeping
toward the partridges that were hanging
from bush. The boys all saw it. The
animal raised itself stealthily, showing
the white on its breast and under parts.
Dan fred, and Addison, too, at almost
the same instant and Tom let his gun
go somewhat at random. I recollect
hearing O harsh snarl, but saw nothing
more of the animal, for there was
great smoke. We heard it rush through
the brush. Rover dashed after it.
Away they went up the side of the
mountain. Then we heard Rover bark
ing loudly.


"He's run him into a hole" Dan
said. And as soon as the guns could be
reloaded, we followed the noise made
by the dog.


We found Rover in great crevice, or
cleft, i'll Il ledge which overhung the
side of the valley. Addison thrust in
pole, and we threw in stones. 1t seemed
to be the mouth of den into which the
creature had probably gone. But it was
too dark for lis to see distinctly, and
after cropping around q while, we went
back to our camp but the dog would
not como away.


For my own part, now that the excite
ment was over, was soon asleep under
the shed, and slept soundly till sunrise.
When 1 walked, Dan and Addison and
Ned were just coming back to the camp.
They had been to the ledge into which
Rover had chased the animal. There
were spatters of blood, they said, all
along on the grass and leaves, and on
the rocks ut the mouth of the den but
they could hear nothing Of the creature,
and smoke which they had made in
the crevice had failed to drive it out.


But Addison and Dan were as much
at loss as we had been as to the kind
of an animal it was. They had never
seen anything like it. 1t had broad
head and short ears, not in the least like
q lynx or n wildcat. Then, too, its color
was different from that of any wild ami
NAL we had ever seen in that section.
So it remained a puzzle to us, as boys,
what it could be.


Since that time, however, have seen
what Canadian hunters call a carcdjou,
or glutton, also sometimes called q VOL
VERNE ; and, from what recollect of
this creature, have no doubt it was q
carcajOu.>


The carcajOu, or wolverine, is com.
mon in the northwestern States of this
country and in British America, about
Hudson bay but have heard of only
two or three instances of its being seen
in New York or New England.


The Hudson bay trappers say that it
will eat deer Mt one meal, and that it
often comes fearlessly into their huts
after game or fish which they have
taken. During the winter season it is
said to come around the fur forts, and
to dig through the snow to get the old
boots and moocasins which have been
thrown out Youths Companion.