die. I wouldn't spoil your fun that 

 way. Your friend in the water made 

 all the noise. Wonder what he was," 

 said Bige. 



'Well, it was no measly muskrat, 

 I'll stake my reputation and experience 

 on that," said I. 



There ended our photographing opera- 

 tions for that occasion, since after such 

 a racket no deer could be expected to 

 show himself at the pond, so we turned 

 back to camp. On the way we discussed 

 the possible identity of the animal with 

 whom we had just been in collision, 

 and who had upset our plans for the 

 evening. 



Most wild animals swim; some for 

 pleasure, others only when it cannot be 

 avoided. In the darkness we failed to 

 get a clear idea of the size or shape of 

 this fellow, we could only judge by the 

 jolt our boat got, and the commotion he 

 made in the water. We canvassed the 

 possibility of its being a coon, a fox, an 

 otter, a porcupine, a marten, a lynx or 



8 



