ugh a hole in the ice to the under-water
entrance of his near-by home for his family to feed upon. But
presently Oo-koo-hoo discovered another moving object; it was a
wolverine, and it was stalking the beaver. When it drew near enough to
the unsuspecting worker, it made a sudden spring and landed upon his
back. A desperate fight ensued. The wolverine was trying to cut the
spinal cord at the back of the beaver's neck; but the short, stout neck
caused trouble, and before the wolverine had managed it, the beaver,
realizing that the only chance for life was to make for the water-hole,
lunged toward it, and with the wolverine still on his back, dived in.
On being submerged, the wolverine let go and swam around and around in
an effort to get out; but the beaver, now in his element, took
advantage of the fact, and rising beneath the foe, leaped at it, and
with one bite of his powerful, chisel-like teeth, gripped it by the
throat, then let go and sank to watch it bleed to death. A little
later, the beaver had the satisfaction of seeing old Oo-koo-hoo walk
off with the wolverine's skin.

No . . . beavers do not believe in divorce . . . and on their wedding
day--usually in February--they promise to be true to each other for the
rest of their lives, and, moreover, unlike many human beings, they keep
their promise. About three months later the husband, seeing his wife
is getting ready to welcome new relations, leaves his comfortable home
just to be out of the way, and takes up new quarters in a hole in the
river bank. While he is there the children--any number from one to
six--arrive, and then can be heard much gentle whimpering, just as
though human babies were now living in the old homestead.

When the beaver children grow older they romp in the water much as
puppies do on land. If danger approaches, the first beaver to sense it
slaps the surface of the water with his broad, powerful tail, making a
noise that resounds through the forest as though a strong man had
struck the water a violent blow with the broad side of a paddle blade.
Instantly the first beaver's nearest companion signals the danger to
others by doing the same; then a second later they plunge out of sight
in the water and leave behind nothing but a great sound--as though an
elephant had fallen in.

When married and settled down, the beaver is very domestic--a great
stay-at-home--but when seeking a mate, he travels far and wide, and
leaves here and there