the jaws of a wily old coyote, who lay watch¬ 
ing him. 
Just as the coyote, convinced that O-Go was 
really as defenseless as he seemed, gathered her¬ 
self to rush him, the little beaver caught scent 
of her. He didn’t understand that odor, but 
it was strange to him, and its strangeness was 
frightening. Then he saw her, and his fear 
passed all bounds. There was no escape open 
to him, for the coyote was almost as near at 
hand as was the water, and her speed was many 
times that of which O-Go was capable. 
O-Go was entirely defenseless; yet the thing 
he did probably saved his life. Just as the coyote 
was almost upon him, the little beaver sat 
straight up, placing his fore paws above his 
head. It was the sort of motion that he might 
have made in the effort to ward off the blow 
of a club. The position was an utterly useless 
one against such an enemy as the coyote, but 
the change to it did take him partly out of 
the line of her charge. 
So great was her speed that the coyote was 
unable to change direction. She passed by 
O-Go, slashing him cruelly with her fangs 
on the way. Then, unable to check herself in 
time, she was carried by the force of her rush, 
into the water. Snarling furiously because of 
the unexpected wetting, the coyote turned to 
renew her attack upon O-Go, who lay half- 
42 
