“A snare,” I answered, for I had never seen a snare.
He removed a piece of wire from the anchoring, made a loop, and fastened the line upon it.
“Now slip that over their noses an' jerk,” he said, as he passed the pole to me.
He worked the paddle and I the pole, and soon we had half a dozen fish, and quite enough for a meal.
“It's time that we organized for dinner,” said he. “I'll be the cook if you'll be the commissary.”
“All right,” I answered.
“Do not be surprised if you find salt an' pepper in yon farm-house,” he suggested.
I went to the house indicated, which was not a stone's-throw from the river-bank, and there a woman gave me all I sought, and, when she had learned my name, added butter and half a loaf of bread and a bit of shortcake.
“You are promoted for meritorious conduct,” said the Pearl, on my return. “You are appointed corporal of the guard, and will have nothing to do now but keep the cows out o' camp.”
He had built his fire in a grove that flung its shade over a bit of still water. There a number of cattle had gathered, and were gazing at us. Soon a bull came roaring into camp, and stood and pawed the earth and threatened me. I cut him with a beech-rod, and drove him away.