"Do you know what that is, boys?" he asked.
Both of them took a good look.
"Looks like a bunny's paw," said Eli, dubiously.
At this Cuthbert laughed.
"Down in my section of Old Virginny the coons like to get rabbit's foot for a charm; it is said to keep the evil spirits away, especially if taken from a graveyard rabbit. Can it be possible there are fellows up in this benighted region of the same mind? But that is not a rabbit's foot, I think, Owen," he said.
"What then?" asked the Canadian.
"I don't know for certain, but if I made a guess I should say mink."
"Good enough for a hap-hazard guess. Mink it is, and the little animal just gnawed it off himself, last night, for you can see it is quite fresh."
"Gnawed it off himself, did you say? What in the world would he be fool enough to do that for?" demanded Cuthbert looking closely to see whether the other gave any signs of joking, but failing to find any.
"Well, for one thing, he could not find anybody to do it for him."