danger at all, for his visitor was O-Go’s good 
friend, Wallace. The young man’s face was set 
and stern, as he stood there, looking down at 
Uncle Castor; but its severity was all for the 
evil person who had done this great wrong. 
For Uncle Castor he had only pity, and he 
spoke gently to the old fellow, meanwhile 
grasping his leg at a point just above the trap. 
The ranger was wary, lest in his fear the 
beaver should turn and bite him; but this cau¬ 
tion was entirely unnecessary, for Uncle Castor 
realized his helplessness, and offered no resis¬ 
tance. Assured that his hands were in no dan¬ 
ger, Wallace quickly inserted the chisel-edged 
end of the steel bar between the jaws of the 
trap. Then, with a quick twist of his power¬ 
ful wrist, he forced the trap open, and lifted 
out of it the imprisoned foot. 
So numb was the old beaver’s leg from the 
cruel pressure it had undergone, that he at first 
seemed not to realize his freedom, but stood 
gazing dumbly at his benefactor. Then, the 
blood began again to circulate through the in¬ 
jured leg; and Uncle Castor, with a parting 
thwack of his tail, slid into the canal, and 
headed for home. 
The ranger stood for a moment, watching 
the spot where Uncle Castor had dived. Then, 
he hurried away, for he had much work to do 
before the colony would be free from the men- 
125 
