By the edge of the sparkling water sits, embroidering buckskin, a red-legged squaw, keeper of the wigwam to the ragged mountain-man who set the traps that caught the martens which furnished the tails that mark so gracefully the number of skins of which the rich banker's wife's fichu-russe is composed.

The next scene is a large "dead-fall" trap, nicely set, with the bait placed temptingly within; and before it crouches a sleek marten, peeping into it as if undecided whether to enter or not.

We tried to eat the marten but it was pretty musky

He greeted the marten in a very friendly manner, and wished him good luck with his catch.

"The woman, as soon as she was sure that her husband was really gone, picked up the marten.

At this the man was very indignant, and so they arranged to punish the marten.

"Yes," said Smirre, "it is I; and I want to ask what you geese think of the night that I have given you?" "Do you mean to say that it is you who have sent the marten and otter against us?" asked Akka.

"The man was suspicious, but as the marten which he had trapped was not to be found he could not find fault with her, except to say that she ought to have skinned the marten soon after he had brought it in.

"Make traps smell good for foxwolffisher, an' marten, too; heem comeall comelike smell," he explained.

"When the woman took up the marten which her husband had thrown at her feet she noticed that it was still quite warm, but she said nothing about it to her husband, who, picking up an ax and blanket, said that he was going off to visit his more distant traps and would not be back for some days.

But he only went a little way, just far enough to throw the marten off his guard, and, sure enough, while he was watching he saw the marten go into the wigwam.