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THE SHACK OF THE MUSKRAT TRAPPER
67

The operation was speedily completed.

"Hope you feel better now you've got that out of your system," said Jerry.

"I have five more exposures on this roll of film, boys. Hope to get something worth while before we start back to camp," retorted Will, caressing his new camera.

"Where do you get the muskrats, Jesse?" asked Frank, as he bent down to examine the way in which each skin was carefully stretched out on its little frame.

"Along the edge o' the swamp half a mile off. They's jest rafts o' 'em thar. As a rule the pelts bring about fifteen cents each, but jest now thar's quite a boom on, an' I reckon I'll git sixty apiece."

"That's fine. What else do you catch here in season?" asked Jerry.

"Wall, a few mink, not many, once in a long while an otter, fur which I git twenty dollars. Then I caught three bobcats last winter, seven foxes, eleven 'coon, half a dozen 'possums, an' two black b'ars, though one o' them I shot arter we had a right lively argyment."

"Whew! then there are bears around here?" asked Will, eagerly; "what wouldn't I give to get a picture of one in its wild state?"

The old man laughed.

"Kinder risky business a shootin' that thing