114 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



to the surface her quick eye caught sight of a 

 goshawk flying low toward her young who were 

 sunning themselves on the bank, utterly oblivious 

 to the impending danger. Quick as a flash she 

 gave a slight cry and struck the water with her 

 large heavy tail. Instantly the four baby beavers 

 made a rush for the water. The warning was too 

 late, however, for the goshawk, like a flash of light- 

 ning, swooped down and caught one of the wretched 

 creatures, not stopping in its powerful flight, but 

 carrying its prey into the woods where it was lost 

 to view. Like most of the tragedies of the wilds, 

 it had happened quickly, and with scarcely any 

 disturbance. The mother beaver took her three 

 remaining young into the lodge, where she remained 

 for a few minutes ; then she came out quietly, and 

 after making sure that all was safe, swam slowly to 

 where the four kittens had been sunning themselves 

 so peacefully only a short time before. On landing, 

 she nosed about until her nostrils found the scent 

 of her lost one and the hawk. She raised herself 

 up, sitting on her hind legs with her small hands 

 hanging by her side and gazed wistfully toward the 

 woods which had swallowed the little kitten. A 

 low cry escaped her lips, but no answer was 

 returned. Again she repeated it without result, 

 her nostrils quivering all the time as though trying 

 to get the faintest hopeful scent. In her heart she 

 well knew that she would never see the one she 

 sought again, yet the hopefulness of despair com- 



