<div><h1 id='ch24'>CHAPTER XXIV<br/> <span class='sub-head'>LITTLE JOE OTTER IS SUSPICIOUS</span></h1></div>
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<p class='line0'>Suspicious folk avoid mishaps</p>
<p class='line0'>By always watching out for traps.</p>
<p class='line0'>              <span class='it'>Little Joe Otter.</span></p>
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<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>Hardly</span> had the trapper disappeared
in the woods when Little
Joe Otter awoke and crept forth
from his hiding-place. He left
Mrs. Otter and the two young
Otters still asleep. Little Joe
yawned, stretched, and then decided
that he wanted a trout. It
didn’t take him long to catch one.
With it in his mouth he swam
straight to a certain old log, one
end of which was in the water.
He intended to climb out on that
old log and eat that trout. It was
his favorite eating place.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But just as he reached that old
log and before he had started to
climb out on it, a queer feeling of
uneasiness took possession of him.
He had a feeling that something
wasn’t quite right. Now when
Little Joe has that feeling he always
heeds it. He didn’t climb
out on that log. He turned and
swam over to a flat rock. He
climbed out on that and laid the
fish down. Somehow he had lost
his appetite. He looked long and
hard over at that old log.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“It looks all right,” said Little
Joe. “Yes, Sir, it looks all right.
Just the same I have a feeling that
there is something wrong there. I
believe I’ll go back there and
see if I can find out what <span class='it'>is</span>
wrong.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>So once more Little Joe swam
to that old log. But he didn’t
climb out on it. He studied it
and studied it. He used both eyes
and nose. Presently he noticed
some fresh mud on that old log.
That was queer. He was sure
there had been no mud there before.
Very carefully he looked
all around the place where that
fresh mud was, and in doing this
he discovered a chain. He got
hold of the chain and pulled
gently. What do you think happened?
Why, he pulled a trap
up out of a place that had been
cut in that old log, and then covered
with mud to hide the freshly
cut wood.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“Ha!” exclaimed Little Joe, as
the trap dropped down into the
water beside the old log. “I’ve
been afraid of this ever since we were
chased by that terrible two-legged
creature on our way over here.
He must be the one who set this
trap. If he set this trap, he has set
other traps. I must warn Mrs.
Joe and the children. That trapper
has been watching us. He
knows that I have been using this
old log. He probably knows all
the other places where we are in
the habit of going. We must find
out where those traps are.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Just then Little Joe heard a
splash in the water. There was
Mrs. Joe with a trout in her mouth.
He called her over there, and
showed her the trap and where it
had been set. “Where are the
children?” he demanded.</p>
<p class='pindent'>“They are fishing,” replied Mrs.
Otter, with a most anxious look in
her eyes. “We must find them
at once. They never have seen a
trap and they know nothing about
traps. Oh, dear, I hope they will
not get caught before we can find
them and warn them!”</p>
<p class='pindent'>Just then the smallest young
Otter climbed out on a rock, and
a moment later her brother climbed
out on another rock. Mrs. Otter
and Little Joe swam swiftly over to
them. The young Otters stopped
eating the fish they had caught
to stare in surprise at the way
in which their parents were
hurrying.</p>
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