be gone. Surely here was his opportunity.

He had approached very cautiously so as not to alarm the little
animals, and finally found a place where he had a good view of them at
work, cutting down trees with their chisel-shaped teeth and building
dams with a skill which causes men to wonder.

While trying to get into a comfortable position he had stepped on a
dry twig that snapped under his feet. A big beaver slapped his broad
tail on the water. Splash! and they disappeared in a twinkling. But
Conrad, that was the boy's name, was a patient little fellow and after
a time his patience was rewarded by seeing the beaver resume their
tasks. Some cut down the trees, cutting them so they fell just where
the beaver wanted them, woodsmen could have done no better. Some were
piling brush among the branches of the trees while others brought
earth to fill in the network of brush, patting it down with their
broad tails, as masons would use their trowels; others were rolling a
stone into the dam they were building. Seemingly they had the work as
carefully planned as men could have done.

Conrad was fond of the woods and animals, his only friends, for the
Vuysens looked upon him as a sort of slave and treated him unkindly.
It was rare pleasure for the lad to watch the beaver colony, and, now
that he had been turned out of the cabin supperless, he sat down by
the stump to think over his pleasure, rather than his trouble, and
soon fell fast asleep. While Conrad slept, a small band of Indians was
approaching along a spotted trail leading through the forest.

When awakened, Conrad thought he was dreaming; but, after rubbing his
eyes and collecting his senses, he realized that the yelling and
commotion were being caused by savages. His instinct prompted him to
steal away, but, when he saw them leading the horse from the stable
shed and one Indian cruelly beat it, he forgot himself and rushed to
interfere. The horse was the best friend Conrad had known since his
mother died.

A half drunken savage seized the boy by the hair, but others
interfered, and so it happened that, instead of being killed on the
spot, he found himself, together with the horse, a prisoner and
hurried along the trail in the forest.

Conrad made no complaint but quietly went with his captors. He
recalled that Vuysen had said there was peace with the Indians but had
added, in the words of an old chief, "The rogues on both sides always
make trouble." Perhaps, afte