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 
fora swim. Hesoon discovered a stick upon which 
some bark still remained. This he brought ashore 
and holding it with his front paws, or hands as they 
