Chapter IV WHEN THE KINGFISHER AND THE BLACK BASS CAME HOME

 "Crimminy, but you are slow." Jimmy made the statement, not asone voices a newly discovered fact, but as one iterates atime-worn truism. He sat on a girder of the Limberlost bridge,and scraped the black muck from his boots in a little heap. Thenhe twisted a stick into the top of his rat sack, preparatory tohis walk home. The ice had broken on the river, and now thepartners had to separate at the bridge, each following his ownline of traps to the last one, and return to the bridge so thatJimmy could cross to reach home. Jimmy was always waiting, afterthe river opened, and it was a remarkable fact to him that assoon as the ice was gone his luck failed him. This evening thebag at his feet proved by its bulk that it contained just aboutone-half the rats Dannie carried.

"I must set my traps in my own way," answered Dannie calmly."IfI stuck them into the water ony way and went on, so would therats. A trap is no a trap unless it is concealed."

"That's it! Go on and give me a sarmon!" urged Jimmy derisively."Who's got the bulk of the rats all winter? The truth is that myside of the river is the best catching in the extrame cold, andyou get the most after the thaws begin to come. The rats seem tohave a lot of burrows and shift around among thim. One time I'mahead, and the nixt day they go to you: But it don't mane thatyou are any better TRAPPER than I am. I only got siven to-night.That's a sweet day's work for a whole man. Fifteen cints apacefor sivin rats. I've a big notion to cut the rat business, andcompete with Rocky in ile."

Dannie laughed."Let's hurry home, and get the skinning overbefore nicht," he said."I think the days are growing a littlelonger. I seem to scent spring in the air to-day."

Jimmy looked at Dannie's mud-covered,