Thump! Thump! Thump! went Toto’s tail on the ground. His tail was not caught in the trap, and he was glad of that. Thump! Thump! Thump! went his tail again. Then Toto listened. But none of the other beavers came to help him.
After a while the pain in his leg was not quite so bad. He was sure the bone was not broken, and he was glad of that.
“But what is going to happen to me?” thought Toto. “Dad always told me to be careful and keep away from traps, and here I have gone and walked right into one!
“But that apple did smell so good!” went on Toto. “I just couldn’t help wanting it!” He had managed to get one bite of the apple before the trap snapped shut on his leg. And now, as he saw the fruit lying near him, Toto thought he might as well eat the rest of it, which he did.
Hardly had he finished eating when he heard a noise in the bushes and among the leaves, and he knew some one was coming. Toto’s heart beat very fast, and, as any wild animal would have done, he tried to get away, forgetting, for the moment, that he was held fast by the trap. A tug at the chain and a pain in his leg brought to his mind that he was still a prisoner, and he fell back among the leaves.
[And then through the bushes came a boy.] In an instant he saw Toto in the trap.
“Oh, I’ve caught a beaver! I’ve caught a beaver!” cried the boy, jumping up and down.
The boy walked toward Toto. Once again the little animal tried to get away, but the chain and trap held him. The beaver crouched down in the leaves and the boy put out his hand to stroke his fur.