The Laughing Face aka The Wolverine Scare

Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, fighting the many enemies of nature. This is the job of the guardian of the forest, Ranger Bill, pouring rain, freezing cold, blistering heat, snow, floods, bears, rattlesnakes, mountain lions.

Yes, all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done. There is one animal that puts fear into the hearts of trappers, perhaps more than any other animal enemy of the traplines.

No, it's not the mountain lion or the grizzly. Oh, they're tough, but they can be killed with a rifle. And they generally let you know when they're on the warpath. It's not the timber wolf or the lynx.

The animal the trapper's fear most isn't even a large one. legend has it that he has strange powers and gigantic strength, and this animal is persistent. He doesn't give up easily when on the hunt. If you think I'm going to give the animal's name away, well, you're wrong. Instead, lend me an ear and we'll get into the story. The laughing face. Say the bacon frying,

The coffee cooking smells good. These delicious odors come from the cabin belonging to two trappers, Abe and Jeff, who have their trap lines way up in the big north country. Abe sprained his ankle and has had to stick around the cabin for a few days.

Morning, Jeff. Morning, Abe. Ank, Lenny better? It's getting tolerable, Jeff. Right tolerable. Mm, smells good. I'm so hungry I could eat a bear. I think I'll try to trail tomorrow. Yeah, you'd better take it easy.

Bad strains worse than break. I know. I'll take it easy. All the traps turned out on the short run. They didn't. What do you mean they didn't? Just what I said. They were clean. That's strange. You said it.