170 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



of the tube, and he thought that perhaps it was 

 something new in the way of food. In another 

 moment the bulb would have been rendered useless, 

 for his sharp teeth would have instantly punctured 

 it. At this critical moment I had to interfere, 

 very much to his disgust, as the poor old chap 

 evidently thought he had been robbed of a delicious 

 morsel, and I regretted not having brought a carrot 

 or sweet potato for him. Wishing to make friends 

 with this strange animal, I sat down near the 

 camera. Immediately he came near, so near that 

 I could put my hand on his soft, furry back, 

 wondering at the time what would happen if he 

 should take it into his head to use his teeth. For 

 with their extraordinary strength and sharpness the 

 amputation of a finger or two would have been the 

 work of an instant ; however, he was a very well 

 meaning old fellow and contented himself with 

 walking slowly round me, stopping occasionally to 

 sit on his hind legs and take a general survey of 

 the curious being who went about with the three- 

 legged thing — the camera. Satisfied that he might 

 safely leave me for a short while he went to his 

 corner, and after looking for a few minutes at his 

 neighbours who were swimming about in their 

 pond he went down his path to the water's edge, 

 and in his own peculiar, noiseless way, plunged in 

 for a swim. He soon discovered a stick upon which 

 some bark still remained. This he brought ashore 

 and holding it with his front paws, or hands as they 



