There were plenty of foxes coming to the clearing; we never went up there without seeing fresh signs about the old barn.

Yet Willis got no fox.
What is more strange, it was so all over New England that fall; foxes kept clear of steel traps.

As the fur market was quick, certain city dealers began sending out offers of "fox pills" to trappers whom they had on their lists.

Willis received one of those letters and showed it to us.

The fox pills were, of course, poison and were to be inclosed in little balls of tallow and laid where foxes were known to come.
Trappers were advised to use them but were properly cautioned how and where to expose them.