"When I come ag'in I'll bring you something to put in the beaver
trap," said the hunter. "It's a stuff we call barkstone. The
beavers can't resist it nohow. As soon as they smell it they
have to walk right into the trap after it." He referred to castoreum,
a liquid obtained from the beaver, or castor, itself and having
a powerful odor which acts on the animal just as catnip acts on
a cat.
The weather had now turned off colder and they were glad to huddle
close to the camp-fire at night. Before going to bed the hunter
told the boys a bear story that all pronounced a "rattler."
The building of the new cabin began in earnest the next day, and
Jed Sanborn told them how it might be put together to the best
advantage, and even aided in cutting down some of the necessary
logs.
"I've got to go back to town to-morrow," he said. "But I'll come
back here before very long. I'll bring you anything you want."
"In that case I'll make out a list," answered Snap, and did so, with
the aid of the others. Jed Sanborn left the next day at noon; and
it was some time before they saw him again.
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