noon
Now and then he caught the scent of his pursuer . A dozen times he waited until the other was so close he could hear the snap of brush , or the metallic click of twigs against his rifle barrel . And then , with a sudden inspiration that brought the curses afresh to McTaggart 's lips , he swung in a wide circle and cut straight back for the trap line . When the factor reached the line , along toward noon , Baree had already begun his work . He had killed and eaten a rabbit . He had robbed three traps within the distance of a mile , and he was headed again straight over the trap line for Post Lac Bain . It was the fifth day that Bush McTaggart returned to his post .