62 BEAVERS—THEIR WAYS. 
cut holes large enough to let all the fish out. The net was 
patched up and replaced the next night but was served 
even more roughly than the previous night. Not to be 
outdone, the would-be fish’catchers repaired the breaks 
in the net with wire, and also stretched wires across 
the water surface, but the beavers took up net, wire and 
all, and deposited them on the bank overlooking the 
dam and some distance away. By somestrange gift 
it might seem—the beaver had a mild interpretation of 
the fish laws of this State, which require of the Fish 
Warden to confiscate or destroy all nets found on any 
lake or stream other than the Missouri River. The 
State law also imposes a fine of $100 for each and ev- 
ery beaver trapped or killed. It will be well if the fish- 
ermen are as considerate for the beavers’ feelings, as 
were these animals at first contact with the fish poach- 
ers’ net—simply fold and pack it upon the bank—with 
a gentle hint to be gone with their tangled up mess.” 
A few weeks after the incident above related, I re- 
ceived a call in Washburn from a young man who an- 
nounced that he was a citizen of Mercer County anda 
candidate for a prominent county office, with a flatter- 
ing prospect of an election. He said he had noted the 
Leader article in regard to beavers as fish wardens and 
could give more information than Editor Walker had 
given—and a more correct statement, as he owned the 
nets that the beavers had torn—owned the land that the 
dam was built on—and had claimed his rights thereon. 
He said he would give the beavers full credit for being 
gentlemen in every sense of the word. The beavers, 
he said had taken up the net twice, rolled it up neatly 
and on each occasion placed it upon the bank without 
