But he was much too cunning to believe all he heard.

It would be just like them, he thought, to pretend they were dead, so that he might come in and get caught.
Assuredly there was a good, strong, live otter smell coming up out of that hole.

He poked his nose down and gave a very loud sniff, then cocked his ear sharply and listened.

Nothing stirred.

Had it been only the little ones, down there all by themselves, he thought, they would have been frightened enough to jump.