Jerry and Will watched their comrade bravely take a portion of the
musquash.
"How is it?" asked Jerry, for there had not been enough of the venison
after all to appease their appetites.
"Bully. Just try for yourselves. I've eaten much worse dishes right at
home," was the immediate reply of the stout-hearted Frank.
Old Jesse chuckled and gave him a look of appreciation.
Thereupon both of the others took a very dainty help, and with much
hesitation tasted of the dish; but both came back for more, and in the
end pronounced the new dish all right.
"Why, fellows," said Frank, laughing, "it was the same with terrapin
years ago. People along the Eastern Shore used to consider the
diamond-back as common as dirt."
"So I was reading the other day," admitted Jerry.
"Yes, sir, so common that when men hired out they stipulated in the bond
that they were not to be fed on terrapin. Then the fashionable people
took a fancy for the dish, the supply ran low, and now a decent-sized
terrapin is worth five dollars. Perhaps muskrats may become popular the
same way, who knows?" laughed Frank.
At which the trapper roared, seemingly thinking it a great joke.
He showed them how he took the skins off, and stretched them on
his frames.
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