So soon he lifted his head, shook his furry body and slipped into 
     
     the cool refreshing stream. He didn't come back into view until he was 
     
     at least two pools and a rapid and a half away. If he could laugh for 
     
     joy he probably would have because it felt so good to wake up with a 
     
     vigorous swim through his, yes his pools! Otter's world was limited by 
     
     4 things that he 
     
     could identify if 
     
     only by just know- 
     
     ing that it was 
     
     time to turn a— 
     
     round and retrace 
     
     familiar steps. 
     
     Probably he stop- 
     
     ped going up 
     
     stream or down 
     
     when he came to 
     
     another otter's 
     
     smells. 
     
    

    
     And that other otter felt just the same way...smell for smell. What 
     
     the other otter didn't know was that some early, early spring day when 
     
     fishing got easier in the melting stream and before even the first green 
     
     leaf uncurled he would not stop at his familiar top pool but, after a 
     
     little hesitation, perhaps even a second look back he sank into the stream 
     
     and swam steadily away. It really wasn't away though because he knew some— 
     
     thing was right. There was something or probably someone not far away and 
     
     when the sun was at it‘s highest they would just want to be together be- 
     
     cause it felt very good and they would share their pools and rapids and 
     
     warm stream banks. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     - 6 -