"Oh, just about somewhere with Mike," replied Mr. Starr, to console Lavinia and allay his wife's fear.
"But their blankets are gone and Don's bed hasn't been used," said Lavinia.
Mr. Starr stepped up and examined the upper bunk.
"Oh, yes, it has, Viney, but he forgot to pull down the second sheet.
"You see the dent in the pillow where his head lay," said Mr. Starr, in a tone that made them all feel easier.
"Just one more of the twins' tricks of mischief," added Mr. Starr, as he went out to look for Mike.
But Mike was nowhere about either, and the family were all quite sure that the old trapper had taken the twins out on some new hunt very early in the morning, and the twins had thought the sport would be enhanced if it were kept secret. So, the camp sat down to breakfast without a misgiving as to the twins' welfare.
Early that same morning, Mike stole out of his tiny cabin and made for some distant traps he had set the day before.
The day was cold and invigorating and Mike loped over the ground, straight through the maze of forest trees as if he were following a pathway. He reached his traps and found one sprung but nothing in it, and the other one just as he had left it. But tracks all about in the light covering of snow showed that several large animals had sniffed at the bait and tried to get it away.
Mike's eyes smiled with gratification as he said to himself: "Mike make big one! Him come agin for supper!"