CHAPTER V 



THE OTTER PLAYS ON 



ALONG-BODIED, yellow-brown animal 

 walked out of the woods and paused 

 . for a moment by the rapids of a moun- 

 tain stream. Its body architecture was that 

 of a dachshund, with the stout neck and small 

 upraised head of a sea lion. Leaping into the 

 rushing water it shot the rapids in a spectacular 

 manner. At the botton of the rapids it climbed 

 out of the water on the bank opposite me and 

 stopped to watch its mate. This one stood at 

 the top of the rapids. It also leaped in and 

 joyfully came down with the torn and speeding 

 water. It joined the other on the bank. 



Together they climbed to the top of the 

 rapids. Again these daredevils gave a thrilling 

 exhibition of running the rushing water. They 

 were American otter, and this was a part of their 

 fun and play. A single false move and the swift 

 water would have hurled and broken them 

 against projecting rocks. In the third run one 

 clung to the top of a boulder that peeped above 

 the mad, swirling water. The other shot over 



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