l come back and
sit quietly on this rock to watch for them."

So the two burros were taken to a small nearby clearing where buffalo
grass offered a juicy repast for them. Having hobbled them to keep them
from straying, Polly led the way back to the beaver-dam.

"If you were over there to examine those cut aspens you would find each
one about eighteen inches long and about one and a half inches thick.
The beavers always build near an aspen grove, as it is their food, but
not finding a grove near the water, they have to swim up or down until
they reach what they need. That is why you find their huts on water,"
explained Polly.

"But I've heard they are water animals."

Before Polly could reply, a sleek head bobbed up from the water near one
of the huts and Eleanor gasped with surprise. The beaver swam to the
opposite bank where the trees had been cut down. He climbed quickly out
of the stream and started to roll a heavy log over the ground until it
splashed down into the pond. He then jumped after it and continued
rolling and pushing it along till he reached the dam. Instantly, more
beavers came out from the huts and assisted in towing the log to their
dam of aspens.

"Oh, oh, Polly!" whispered Eleanor in excited astonishment, but Polly
held her finger over her lips in warning.

"I do believe they plan to build a new dam further up-stream, Nolla. If
that is so, we will have something worth while to watch for during the
next few days. Just now they are repairing the old houses for the
Winter, and that log is to be a bulwark about which green cuttings of
willow and young aspens can be woven as a partial strainer for the
water. The debris that thus collects in the chinks between the cuttings,
makes the dam firmer and yet more flexible than a solid structure
would."

Just then, the sound of a falling tree made Eleanor jump and look across
the stream.

"Other industrious beavers cutting down another tree," explained Polly.

"How do they ever do it, Poll?"

"If you watch, you will see that beaver go to work."

Not one beaver appeared, but four that hurried to the bank and moved the
newly cut tree into the water. One of the four dragged the tree with its
branches still on, into the mid-stream where, catching a heavy branch
between his teeth, he steered it to the row of huts.

Directly back of the first one, swam the other three, each dragging a
section of tree to deposit on the dam, where an old beaver was hard at