Waist-high in the tumbling waters they bore it to quiet water and laid
it on the shore. When Raven Wing's canoe had been safely transported,
they returned for the packs. One by one these were carried through the
rapids without mishap. The canoes were then pushed into the water and
reloaded. Once more the boys took their seats and paddled down stream.

[Illustration: {Fishing in the river.}]

CHAPTER X

THE BEAVER DAM

During the next few days the boys made good progress. They passed the
Yellow Medicine, Sparrowhawk and Redwood rivers. On the fourth day when
but a few miles above the mouth of the Cottonwood, Raven Wing said: "Let
us go ashore. It is time we ate."

So they beached the canoes on a sandy shore. Hawk Eye took out pemmican
and dried bear meat from a pack and sat down beside Raven Wing. When
their hunger was satisfied, Hawk Eye said:

"I think there may be beavers upstream," pointing to a rivulet that
emptied into the Minnesota a short distance from them. "If so, and there
are many, we can come here later on and get pelts. Shall we see?"

"By all means," agreed Raven Wing. "Let us go at once."

Picking up their bows and arrows, they started off. Following the
winding course of the stream for a considerable distance they came to a
dam which held back the water and formed a fair-sized lake.

At once the boys knew that it had been built by beavers. The Musquash,
sometimes called the muskrat, although it ought to be called the
muskbeaver, because it is really a beaver and no rat at all, never
builds dams nor digs canals. It has a flat tail like the beaver and not
at all resembling the tapering tail of water rat. It builds houses, much
like the beaver's, only smaller.

"We will not forget this spot," chuckled Raven Wing. "We will get many
pelts on our next visit."

"No one shall learn of its location," added Hawk Eye. "We will get the
pelts for ourselves."

"The dam is in fine condition," said Raven Wing, who had climbed up upon
it.

Not a beaver was to be seen, however. The wary animals had dived out of
sight at hearing the boys approach.

[Illustration: THE WARY ANIMALS HAD DIVED OUT OF SIGHT AT HEARING THE
BOYS APPROACH.]

"Fearless Bear once told me," remarked Raven Wing, "that hunters rarely
see beavers building a dam. He says that they build at night and that
it is no easy matter for a hunter to watch them."

"The musquash is easier to hunt," said Hawk Eye. "But he is less than