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- 
