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was another young one； and still higher was a third； all looking
their unutterable disgust at the noisy dog below； the mother；
indeed； expressing it in occasional hisses； but none of them
daring to come down and face him。 The lynx is very good fur and
very easy prey。 The Indian brought the old one down with a shot；
then； as fast as he could reload； the others were added to the
bag； and； with the one from the snare； they returned laden to the
cabin。
The Indian's eyes shone with a peculiar light。 〃Ugh！ Ugh！ My
father told me； it is great medicine。 You see； now； it does not
fail。
Chapter 36。 Something Wrong at the Beaver Traps
Once they had run the trap lines； and their store of furs
was increasing finely。 They had taken twenty…five beavers and
counted on getting two or three each time they went to the ponds。
But they got an unpleasant surprise in December； on going to the
beaver grounds； to find all the traps empty and unmistakable
signs that some man had been there and had gone off with the
catch。 They followed the dim trail of his snowshoes； half hidden
by a recent wind； but night came on with more snow； and all signs
were lost。
The thief had not found the line yet； for the haul of marten and
mink was good。 But this was merely the beginning。
The trapper law of the wilderness is much like all primitive
laws； first come has first right； provided he is able to hold it。
If a strong rival comes in； the first must fight as best he can。
The law justifies him in anything he may do； if he succeeds。 The
law justifies the second in anything he may do； except murder。
That is； the defender may shoot to kill； the offender may not。
But the fact of Quonab's being an Indian and Rolf supposedly one；
would turn opinion against them in the Adirondacks； and it was
quite likely that the rival considered them trespassers on his
grounds； although the fact that he robbed their traps without
removing them； and kept out of sight； rather showed the guilty
conscience of a self…accused poacher。
He came in from the west； obviously； probably the Racquet River
country； was a large man； judging by his foot and stride； and
understood trapping； but lazy； for he set no traps。 His
principal object seemed to be to steal。
And it was not long before he found their line of marten traps；
so his depredations increased。 Primitive emotions are near the
surface at all times； and under primitive conditions are very
ready to appear。 Rolf and Quonab felt that now it was war。
Chapter 37。 The Pekan or Fisher
There was one large track in the snow that they saw several times
it was like that of a marten； but much larger。 〃Pekan；〃 said
the Indian； 〃the big marten； the very strong one； that fights
without fear。〃
〃When my father was a papoose he shot an arrow at a pekan。 He
did not know what it was； it seemed only a big black marten。 It
was wounded； but sprang from the tree on my father's breast。 It
would have killed him； but for the dog； then it would have killed
the dog； but my grandfather was near。
〃He made my father eat the pekan's heart； so his heart might be
like it。 It sought no fight； but it turned； when struck； and
fought without fear。 That is the right way； seek peace； but
fight without fear。 That was my father's heart and mine。〃 Then
glancing toward the west he continued in a tone of menace： 〃That
trap robber will find it so。 We sought no fight； but some day I
kill him。〃
The big track went in bounds； to be lost in a low； thick woods。
But they met it again。
They were crossing a hemlock ridge a mile farther on； when they
came to another track which was first a long； deep furrow； some
fifteen inches wide； and in this were the wide…spread prints of
feet as large as those of a fisher。
〃Kahk；〃 said Quonab； and Skookum said 〃Kahk；〃 too； but he did it
by growling and raising his back hair； and doubtless also by
sadly remembering。 His discretion seemed as yet embryonic； so
Rolf slipped his sash through the dog's collar； and they followed
the track； for the porcupine now stood in Rolf's mind as a sort
of embroidery outfit。
They had not followed far before another track joined on the
track of the fisher…pekan； and soon after they heard in the woods
ahead scratching sounds； as of something climbing； and once or
twice a faint； far； fighting snarl。
Quickly tying the over…valiant Skookum to a tree； they crept
forward； ready for anything； and arrived on the scene of a very
peculiar action。
Action it was； though it was singularly devoid of action。 First；
there was a creature； like a huge black marten or a short…legged
black fox； standing at a safe distance； while； partly hidden
under a log； with hind quarters and tail only exposed； was a
large porcupine。 Both were very still； but soon the fisher
snarled and made a forward lunge。 The porcupine； hearing the
sounds or feeling the snow dash up on that side； struck with its
tail； but the fisher kept out of reach。 Next a feint was made on
the other side； with the same result； then many； as though the
fisher were trying to tire out the tail or use up all its quills。
Sometimes the assailant leaped on the log and teased the
quill…pig to strike upward； while many white daggers already sunk
in the bark showed that these tactics had been going on for some
time。
Now the two spectators saw by the trail that a similar battle had
been fought at another log； and that the porcupine trail from
that was spotted with blood。 How the fisher had forced it out
was not then clear； but soon became so。
After feinting till the Kahk would not strike； the pekan began a
new manceuvre。 Starting on the opposite side of the log that
protected the spiny one's nose； he burrowed quickly through the
snow and leaves。 The log was about three inches from the ground；
and before the porcupine could realize it； the fisher had a
space cleared and seized the spiny one by its soft； unspiny nose。
Grunting and squealing it pulled back and lashed its terrible
tail。 To what effect？ Merely to fill the log around with quills。
With all its strength the quill…pig pulled and writhed； but the
fisher was stronger。 His claws enlarged the hole and when the
victim ceased from exhaustion； the fisher made a forward dash and
changed his hold from the tender nose to the still more tender
throat of the porcupine。 His hold was not deep enough and square
enough to seize the windpipe； but he held on。 For a minute or
two the struggles of Kahk were of desperate energy and its
lashing tail began to be short of spines； but a red stream
trickling from the wound was sapping its strength。 Protected by
the log； the fisher had but to hold on and play a waiting game。
The heaving and backward pulling of Kahk were very feeble at
length； the fisher had nearly finished the fight。 But he was
impatient of further delay and backing out of the hole he mounted
the log； displaying a much scratched nose； then reaching down
with deft paw； near the quill…pig's shoulder； he gave a sudden
jerk that threw the former over on its back； and before it could
recover； the fisher's jaws closed on its ribs； and crushed and
tore。 The nerveless； almost quilless tail could not harm him
there。 The red blood flowed and the porcupine lay still。 Again
and again as he uttered chesty growls the pekan ground his teeth
into the warm flesh and shook and worried the unconquerable one
he had conquered。 He was licking his bloody chops for the
twentieth time； gloating in gore； when 〃crack〃 went Quonab's gun；
and the pekan had an opportunity of resuming the combat with
Kahk far away in the Happy Hunting。
〃Yap； yap； yap！〃 and in rushed Skookum； dragging the end of
Rolf's sash which he had gnawed through in his determination to
be in the fight； no matter what it cost； and it was entirely due
to the fact that the porcupine was belly up； that Skookum did not
have another hospital experience。
This was Rolf's first sight of a fisher； and he examined it as
one does any animal or man that one has so long heard
described in superlative terms that it has become idealized into
a semi…myth。 This was the desperado of the woods； the weird
black cat that feared no living thing。 This was the only one that
could fight and win against Kahk。
They made a fire at once； and while Rolf got the mid…day meal of
tea and venison； Quonab skinned the fisher。 Then he cut out its
heart and liver。 When these were cooked he gave the first to
Rolf and the second to Skookum； saying to the one； 〃I give you a
pekan heart；〃 and to the dog； 〃That will force all of the quills
out of you if you play the fool again； as I think you will。〃
In the skin of the fisher's neck and tail they found several
quills； some of them new； some of them dating evidently from
another fight of the same kind； but non