grades. He runs a little way and throws himself forward on his
belly, sliding through the snow for several feet before he runs
again. So his progress is a series of slides, much as one hurries
along in slippery weather.

I have spoken of the silver bubbles that first drew my attention
to the fishing otters one day in the wilderness. From the few
rare opportunities that I have had to watch them, I think that
the bubbles are seen only after Keeonekh slides swiftly into the
stream. The air clings to the hairs of his rough outer coat and
is brushed from them as he passes through the water. One who
watches him thus, shooting down the long slide belly-bump into
the black winter pool, with a string of silver bubbles breaking
and tinkling above him, is apt to know the hunter's change of
heart from the touch of Nature which makes us all kin. Thereafter
he eschews trapping--at least you will not find his number-three
trap at the foot of Keeonekh's slide any more, to turn the shy
creature's happiness into tragedy--and he sends a hearty
good-luck after his fellow-fisherman, whether he meet him on the
wilderness lakes or in the quiet places on the home streams where
nobody ever comes.



KOSKOMENOS THE OUTCAST

Koskomenos the kingfisher is a kind of outcast among the birds. I
think they regard him as a half reptile, who has not yet climbed
high enough in the bird scale to deserve recognition; so they let
him severely alone. Even the goshawk hesitates before taking a