"How's that fur one?" he remarked, as he disengaged the animal from the trap and laid it in the ice.
"It's a whopper," said Bob, enthusiastically, "and what a beautiful bluish gray coat. Don't they kill lots of fish, John?"
"A powerful number, cap'n. An' brings 'em ashore ter eat. The little rascal is awful wasteful, too, sometimes leavin' 'em 'most untouched."
The trapper rebaited the trap, which was attached by means of a chain to a stone, and lowered both in the water again.
"Where are we going now?" asked Bob.
"Follow the stream fur a piece. I've got more traps along here."
John Yardsley returned the stick to its hiding-place, then, as they started off, began to talk about the habits of the various animals.
"Powerful knowin' critters," he observed. "Take beavers, which lives along rivers an' ponds, for instance. A hull lot of these critters will git together an' build houses of mud, stones an' sticks. Their teeth are very hard and sharp, an' they don't have much trouble cuttin' all the wood they want. Then, if the water ain't right, they dam it up with the same stuff as the huts is made of."
"Isn't the entrance under water?" asked Bob.
"Allus! So that other critters can't git at 'em. In the spring, they come out, an' ramble off; an' mebbe it's autumn before they says ter each other, 'It's time ter git back ter them huts of ourn an' fix 'em up fur the winter.'"