80 THE LIFE STORY OF AN OTTER 



keep to the trail or leave it as he pleased, to fish 

 when and where he chose ; for his sister had no 

 influence over him. Yet, for all his selfish, head- 

 strong ways, he proved a safe leader, his move- 

 ments being inspired by the wariness of the 

 outlawed creature. He was a stickler for good 

 hours, rising late and couching early. He curbed 

 his passion for wandering, and showed rare 

 judgment in the choice of hovers, selecting 

 always with an eye to strength and invariably 

 shunning such as were not near deep water 

 where refuge might be sought in emergency. 

 On sallying out he generally fished upstream for 

 a mile or two, gambolled till the night was nearly 

 gone, and then floated back with the current, 

 shooting the rapids and lesser falls on the way. 

 Yet fear haunted both him and his sister, for 

 they carefully scrutinized every bush, rock, and 

 bole that might harbour an enemy, and their 

 fears grew to terror once when they happened on 

 the remains of one of their kind recently killed 

 by the hounds. On the discovery they were at 

 once all consternation, as their puffing and blow- 

 ing showed, and forthwith forsook the tributary 

 for the river, kennelling at the end of their 

 hurried retreat in a hover below the mill. They 

 lay in this holt on the following day, but the 



