<div><h1 id='ch21'>CHAPTER XXI<br/> <span class='sub-head'>A RACE FOR LIFE</span></h1></div>
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<p class='line0'>When life’s at stake ’tis no disgrace</p>
<p class='line0'>To run from what you dare not face.</p>
<p class='line0'>                <span class='it'>Little Joe Otter.</span></p>
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<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Little Joe Otter</span> and his family
had traveled many miles from the
Laughing Brook on their way to
that other brook where Little Joe
was sure they would find better
fishing. They had left a deep trail
through the snow. It happened
that this trail was found by an old
trapper, who was tramping through
the woods.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Traveling Otter!” he exclaimed,
as soon as he saw that
trail. Then he examined the trail
very carefully. “More than one
has been along here,” he decided.
“What is more, those Otters are
not very far ahead of me. This
trail is very fresh. They’re heading
straight for the pond just
beyond the next ridge. Otter fur
brings high prices these days. If
I can catch up with them, I may
be able to get a skin or two.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>He looked around for a stout
club, and as soon as he had found
one to suit him he hurried along
that trail. He guessed that those
Otters were not hurrying. He
hoped that if he could get near
enough before he was discovered,
he would be able to outrun one
or two of them. So he hurried
on as fast as he could, taking the
greatest care to make as little
noise as possible.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Little Joe, Mrs. Joe and the two
young Otters had almost reached
the pond when Little Joe’s ears
caught a sound that caused him
to stop and look back along their
trail. He saw that man running.
He recognized him instantly as
one of those two-legged creatures
called men, the only enemies Little
Joe really feared. “We must run
for our lives!” he cried and led
the way, breaking the path through
the snow.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Then began a race for life. Little
Joe knew that if that man caught
up with them, they would have no
chance for their lives. He knew
all about that pond just ahead.
He knew that at one end there
were springs and that when all the
rest of the pond was covered with
ice, there usually was open water
above those springs. If they could
reach open water they would be safe.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Such a race as that was! Though
the Otters did their best, they could
not travel as fast through the snow
as the man. He gained on them
with every step. How thankful
Little Joe and Mrs. Joe were that
he had no terrible gun. Had he
carried a terrible gun they would
have had no chance at all. But
even without a terrible gun he
would surely kill them all unless
they could reach that open water.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Through the trees they saw the
black, smooth ice of that pond
just ahead of them. They bounded
and plunged ahead with all their
strength. Little Joe was ahead to
break the way through the snow.
Then came the two young Otters,
and Mrs. Joe was last. That
trapper was almost within striking
distance as she sprang out on to
the ice. Out there the Otters could
travel faster than the trapper.
They would make several bounds
forward and then throw themselves
on their stomachs and slide. It
was surprising how fast they traveled
over that ice. But the trapper
couldn’t run fast on the ice. It
was too slippery. He did his best,
but he fell farther and farther behind.
Finally he threw his club
at Mrs. Joe. It just missed her.
A minute later, one after another,
Little Joe and his family disappeared
in the open water. They
had won their race for life.</p>
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