Page:Little Joe Otter.djvu/189

 much. But he was sure that if he should try to pull himself free, it would hurt dreadfully. It was because of this that he couldn't make up his mind to try.

"Good-by," said Little Joe Otter, and began to swim away swiftly. He didn't even look back. At first the young Otter couldn't believe that he was really being left alone. But his father kept straight on. Every second he was getting farther and farther away. At last the young Otter realized that his father had meant just what he said.

The young Otter stood it just as long as he could. Then the thought of being left alone in that cruel trap became more than he