"Wal, you'll wake up some mornin' an' find your shantee gone," said Dick, "unless it is fastened down tarnation tight. I hate the rascals wusser nor pisen, an' I allers ache to begin a knock-down-an'-drag-out fight with 'em whenever I see 'em. Now, Useless," he continued, turning to his dog, and speaking as though the animal could understand every word he said, "I'm goin' to bed, an' I want you to keep an eye on them fellers;" and Dick stretched his heavy frame out on one of the beds, while Useless crawled under the blankets, and lay down beside him. The others soon followed his example, and, in a few moments, nothing was heard in the cabin but the regular breathing of the sleepers. The next morning the boys slept later than usual. When they awoke, they found Bob engaged in getting breakfast. The Indians had gone. According to their usual custom, they had resumed their journey at the first peep of day. Dick sat by the fire, engaged in looking over his "plunder," as he called it, to see if any thing had been stolen. "Wal," said Uncle Joe, as they arose from the breakfast-table, "what do you youngsters kalkerlate to do first?" "Let's go and set our traps for foxes," said Archie, who was particularly fond of hunting that kind of game, and had become quite proficient in the art. "Wal," said Dick, "I'll go with you. I have some traps that need 'tendin' to;" and the trapper took down his long rifle and thrust his never-failing pipe into his pocket, and was ready for the start. Archie began to overhaul his traps, which had been piled in one corner of the cabin. He looked them over and over several times, and finally inquired: "Frank, do you know what has become of all my fox traps? Three of them are missing." "They ought to be in that pile with the others," answered Frank. "There are only two of them here," said Archie. "My best ones are gone; I'm afraid we have lost them. They must have got loose, and tumbled off the sled." "No, I guess not," said his cousin; "they were all there last night, for I counted them." "That ar is what comes of allowin' them Injuns to camp here," said Dick. "Jeroomagoot!" ejaculated Uncle Joe. "You don't s'pose them Injuns stole the traps, do you?" "Sartin, I do," answered Dick, dropping the butt of his rifle heavily to the floor. "I don't s'pose nothin' else." "Wal, it's the first thing I ever had stole," said Uncle Joe. "Thar's whar the traps have gone to, any how," said Dick. "Useless," he continued, turning to his dog, "you aint worth a pinch o' gunpowder. I told you to watch them fellers. I don't see how the rascals could do it, for if Useless had seed one of 'em prowlin' around, he would have muzzled him quicker nor lightnin'. If you want your traps, youngsters, you'll have to foller them Injuns. I'll go with you." "Will you," exclaimed Archie. "Then, let's start right off." "Wal, then," said the trapper, "pull off them overcoats, 'cause it 'ill be the hardest job you ever done to ketch them Injuns."