COMES ON THE OTTER 143 



1 Oh, oh,' said he, as he checked his steps, ' so 

 this was where you parted, was it ? — one for the 

 reed-bed, t'other for up along, the withies most 

 like.' 



After a pause he added with a chuckle, * Jack 

 oter, you're mine yet.' 



At the thought of the valuable prize falling to 

 him he was all life and energy again : the vigour of 

 his stride showed it as he stepped along the furrow 

 made by the otter, with eyes fixed on the isolated 

 clump near the inflow through which he expected 

 it would pass. His surprise and excitement may 

 be imagined when on reaching it and ringing it, 

 he found no sign of track on the snow beyond. 



* Niver can be in this morsel of a patch,' said 

 he under his breath, as he took up a station 

 between it and the reed-bed he felt sure the otter 

 would make for. * Yet eh must be, eh must be.' 

 Then, raising his voice, he called out, ■ King Oter, 

 thy time is come ; show thyself and get the 

 business over.' With that he began to beat 

 the reeds with the gun, trampling the stems as 

 he advanced. In the midst of the clump he 

 came on the couch. He stooped quickly and 

 felt that it was warm. * I knawed thee was 

 theere,' said he ; and crack, crack, crack went the 

 reeds as he levelled them with the ground. 



