noon
`` That make a trail the marten follow for a month , '' was the explanation . Skookum seemed to think so too , and if he did not say `` phew , '' it was because he did not know how . Very soon the little dog treed a flock of partridge and Rolf with blunt arrows secured three . The breasts were saved for the hunters ' table , but the rest with the offal and feathers made the best of marten baits and served for all the traps , till at noon they reached the beaver pond . It was covered with ice too thin to bear , but the freshly used landing places were easily selected . At each they set a strong , steel beaver-trap , concealing it amid some dry grass , and placing in a split stick a foot away a piece of moss in which were a few drops of the magic lure . The ring on the trap chain was slipped over a long , thin , smooth pole which was driven deep in the mud , the top pointing away from the deep water .