“Bears mostly been killed off,” the old trapper replied, sending the skiff along with powerful stabs of the oars. “The rooters are about the wust ye run into now.”
“Rooters?” Louise repeated, puzzled.
“Wild hogs. They got a hide so tough even the rattlers can’t kill ’em. It’s most likely yer dogs been et by one.”
“Oh, no!” Louise protested in horror.
“Rooters’ll go straight fer a dog or a deer or a lamb. They’ll attack a man too if they’re hongry enough. Their tusks are sharp as daggers.”
Penny quickly changed the subject by asking Trapper Joe if he thought Pretty Boy Danny Deevers might be hiding in the swamp.
“’Tain’t likely,” he replied briefly.
“Why do you think not?”
“City bred, waren’t he?”
“That’s what I was told.”