Just as some men make honest money, it follows that some men will make dishonest money.  There were not too many professional beaver thieves.  They did not last long, and the amateur was better off running his own traps anyway since the beaver just walked into them.

This piece developed as a continuance of the thought that the thief must always have at least one eye on his back trail.  He is cold and vulnerable.  He’s wet from robbing the trap, but he can’t stop.  He must stretch the hide over the willow hoop for transport.  At thirty pounds a beaver, the going would be too slow without skinning and stretching the hide.  So, cold, wet, miserable and vulnerable, he has to wait for the hide to stretch.  Then, he hears a twig snap…..