e saw.

"On a bough of a tree almost directly over the beaver, I saw a lithe
serpentine thing twitching as if a snake was trying to curl up. But I
knew it wasn't a snake. It must be the long tail of a panther who was
crouching for a leap, but I could not distinguish a body back of the
foliage of the tree.

"The beaver stood uncertain of action for a moment, and as he turned to
dive again to safety, the mountain-lion sprang. At the same instant,
father pulled the trigger. But the panther landed almost on top of the
beaver's back, while the shot must have grazed his head, making him rage
furiously.

"The beaver, who was on the verge of the stream, fought valiantly with
teeth and his powerful strength, but the lion had the upper hold on him.
Slowly the two squirmed and rolled, the beaver trying to drag his enemy
into the stream, and the panther fighting to keep his prey on land.

"'Father--shoot--shoot! Even if you kill the beaver!' I yelled, as I
closed my eyes from the awful sight.

"But daddy already had taken aim and even as I spoke, he pulled the
trigger. This time his shot took effect for we saw the beast loose his
hold on the beaver and roll over writhing in agony.

"Father rushed along the bank and crept over the beaver-dam to the other
side. Then he put the lion out of pain with a third shot, and stooped to
examine the beaver.

"We always take a doctor's pocket-case when going on a trip, and father
now took it out, so I knew the beaver was not dead.

"'Poll, try to come over here and bring a pan, sheath-knife, and some
hartshorn from the pack.'

"I did as I was told, and stood helping father when the beaver came
too--after getting a big whiff of hartshorn. We washed the torn flesh
with water, and father poured on something from a bottle that made the
old fellow squirm, but he sensed that we were helping him and he offered
no resistance.

"Well, Nolla, when we were done with our surgical work, you just ought
to have seen that beaver's gratitude shining from his round eyes.

"When he had recovered sufficiently to start for home, father swam
beside him. And it was well he did for the poor fellow could not have
made it alone. Father towed him across the pond and left him on the dam.
There, the boss (for he was the boss of the colony) made a strange sound
and instantly, a score of beavers came out.

"Meantime, father had left him alone while I stood a distance away and
watched the scene eagerly. As many