BIRTH AND INFANT DAYS IS 



actually at work on tree-felling, even though he 

 knew they were only busy at night. All about him 

 was the result of their labours, felled trees of small 

 girth, poplars, and cotton-woods, and, at the river's 

 edge, disappearing branches vanishing to the beaver 

 pantry below. 



He stood awhile, four feet together, poised like 

 a klipspringer, on the top of one of the marvel- 

 lously planned beaver residences lying on the bank, 

 balancing himself mischievously on its domed roof, 

 made of logs and sticks, and plastered together 

 with river mud and clay. 



He tired of this at last, perhaps because the 

 beavers seemed so indifferent, as they well might 

 be, seeing that the miniature house was closed for 

 alterations and repairs, and belonged to no one, and 

 watched the black bear from a safe distance — since 

 the temper of black bears was an unknown quantity 

 as yet — catching mice in their runways. 



This was accomplished by scraping down to an 

 insignificant depth, and throwing out the excavated 

 earth with a deft left hand, and keeping a sharp 

 look out for fugitives. Once in a while the bear 

 applied his nose to the tiny furrow and sniffed 

 deeply, but for the most part he worked in silence 



