man scent on either side of the brook and no man scent on the bird. He was certain of that because he could reach his nose out within a couple of feet of it. For half an hour Redcoat walked up and down the stream looking at the bird and pondering and gradually his suspicions were dissipated. Then he noted a small bunch of turf in the stream half way between him and the bird. Why that was just the thing to step on. He hesitated for several seconds with one paw upraised. Something seemed to say beware, but it was very faint. His hunger was great and the bird looked so tempting. Then Redcoat set his paw down lightly on the bit of turf, and click, snap. Although Redcoat sprang back like lightning and turned a somersault in his hurry to get back in time, yet he was not as quick as the trap which closed firmly over his forepaw, and he was held in a terrible grip—one that made his paw throb with pain, and filled him with an unspeakable fear. The terrible thing of which his sire had warned him, for which he had always been on the
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