At Close Range 



rollicking along in his merry way, taking one or 

 two quick jumps on his abbreviated legs and a 

 long slide on his ample belly. As the air was dry 

 and very still I had no fear of his nose, which is 

 not as sensitive as many others (perhaps because 

 of the peculiar valve or flap which closes it tight 

 when an otter swims under water) ; but his eyes 

 and other senses are extraordinarily good, and it 

 seemed impossible that he should overlook a man 

 standing erect on the snowy ice, as conspicuous as 

 a fly in the milk. So I watched the approach with 

 lively interest, wondering how Keeonekh would 

 act in comparison with other members of his 

 weasel family when he found himself near me, 

 whether he would dart away like a fisher, or 

 ignore me like a mink, or show his teeth at me 

 like a little stoat. 



On he came, confidently, as an otter travels, 

 giving no heed to the enemy in his path, till he 

 halted with a paw' resting on one of my snow- 

 shoes and began to wiggle his broad muzzle, as if 

 he found something in the air which he did not 

 like. For several moments he hesitated, sniffing 

 here, listening there, looking sharply about the 

 lake, into the near-by woods, everywhere except 

 up into my face, and then went on as he had been 

 heading, leaving a straight trail behind him. No 

 man can tell what was in his head, and a very 

 is [213] 



